That Hyde Park was looked upon as a rural resort for the courtiers and others who wished for greater seclusion than was to be found in St. James’s Park, is shown in Major Martin Hume’s Calendar of Spanish State Papers of Elizabeth (Record Office).
“Count de Feria writes to Philip II. from London, 19th March 1559:
“Since I wrote on the 6th instant I have had a long conversation with the Treasurer of the Household (i.e. Sir Thomas Parry) about religious affairs, and the obligations that the Queen and the country owe to your Majesty. He is not so good a Catholic as he should be, but he is the most reasonable of those near the Queen. She knew that he was coming to St. James’s Park on that day to speak with me; and she told him to ask me to go with him to another Park higher up nearer the execution place, so that the Earl of Pembroke and other gentlemen would be walking in St. James’s Park might not see us together. The Earl and the others who were walking there would have been just as shy of being seen with me, by the Queen or the Treasurer. I say this to show how suspicious and distrustful they are.”
It was easy enough to take a drive in Hyde Park, but when the Queen moved farther afield, even for such a short distance as the seven or eight miles from Chelsea to Richmond, the arrangements required more attention. Preserved in the Records of the Stationers’ Company is the following letter:
“By the Mayor,
“To the Wardens of the Companye of Stationers.
“Where the Quene’s most excellente Majestie intendith in her Royal psonne to repair to her Princelie Palace of Whitehall, on Thursdaie next, in thafternoone; and for that I and my brethren thaldermen are commanded to attend on her Majesties psonne from Chelsey to the Whitehall; Theis therefore in her Majestie’s name to require you, that yourselfes, with six of the comliest psonages of your said Companye, be readie at the Parke Corner above Sainte James, on horseback, apparelled in velvette coats with chaynes of gold on Thursdaie by twoo of the clocke, in the afternoone, to waite upon me and my brethren the Aldermen to Chelsey for the recreating her Majestie accordinglie. And also that you provide sixe staffe torches lighth as need shall be required. Not failinge hereof, as you will answere the contrarie at your perill.
“From the Guyldhall, this 28th of Januarie, 1588-9.
“Sebrighte.”
Accordingly, on 30th “January 1588-9” (one may learn from Nichols) the Queen “travelled from Richmond to Chelsea and so to Westminster, and the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commoners of her Citie of London, in coates of velvet and chaines of golde, all on horsebacke, with the Captaines of the Cittie, to the number of fortie, betwixt five or six of the clock at torchlight.”