When the effect of the Plague and Fire had worn off, Hyde Park evidently became gayer and gayer. Our old Diarist, who, like all the gossips of the seventeenth century, was gifted with great powers of curiosity and criticism, gives a full account of May Day, 1667.
At this time a most eccentric figure played a conspicuous part in Society, in the person of the Duchess of Newcastle. Her attire and equipage were so peculiar that she never sallied forth without a crowd of boys and girls following to look at the quaint display. Such a sight would delight Pepys, who several times mentions, with genuine disappointment, the fact of not being able to see her properly on account of the crowd of onlookers who formed her escort. She was a great attraction in the Park on this May Day, for we read:
“Thence Sir W. Pen and I in his coach, Tiburne way, into the Park, where a horrid dust, and number of coaches without pleasure or order. That which we, and almost all went for, was to see my Lady Newcastle; which we could not, she being followed and crowded upon by coaches all the way she went, that nobody could come near her; only I could see she was in a large black coach adorned with silver instead of gold, and so white curtains, and every thing black and white, and herself in her cap, but other parts I could not make. But that which I did see, and wonder at with reason, was to find Peggy Penn in a new coach, with only her husband’s pretty sister with her, both patched and very fine, and in much the finest coach in the park, and I think that ever I did see one or other, for neatness and richness of gold, and everything that is noble. My lady Castlemayne, the King, my Lord St. Albans, nor Mr. St. Jermyn have so neat a coach that ever I saw. And Lord! to have them have this, and nothing else that is correspondent, is to me one of the most ridiculous sights that ever I did see, though her present dress was well enough, but to live in the condition they do at home, and be abroad in this coach, astonishes me.”
Reviews were held frequently. In the autumn of 1668, Pepys attended one of these: “Colonel the Duke of Monmouth in mighty rich clothes, but the well-ordering of the men I understand not,” he writes. A “thousand coaches” were present, for it was a gay sight. The soldiers on these occasions made a brave show with their Cavalier hats and bright coats, while even the horses were bedecked with ribbons on their heads, manes, and tails.
The next year saw the fulfilment of a long-deferred hope in Pepys’ fashionable life, for he then started his own coach. His words are too quaint to omit:
“Thence to Hyde Park, the first time we were there this year, or ever in our own coach, where with mighty pride rode up and down, and many coaches there; and I thought our horses and coach as pretty as any there, and observed so to be by others. Here staid till night.”
The new coach was put to frequent use. A fortnight later he writes:
“Thence to the Park, my wife and I: and here did Sir W. Coventry first see me and my wife in a coach of our own: and so did also this night the Duke of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I begin to doubt that my being so much seen in my own coach at this time may be observed to my prejudice: but I must venture now.”
This new purchase added much to Mr. and Mrs. Pepys’ enjoyment of the May-Day show, although their tempers were none of the best on that occasion, seemingly:
“At noon home to dinner, and there find my wife extraordinary fine, with her flowered tably gown that she made two years ago, now laced exceeding pretty; and indeed was fine all over; and mighty earnest to go though the day was very lowering; and she would have me put on my fine suit, which I did. And so anon we went alone through the town with our new liveries of serge, and the horses’ manes and tails tied with red ribbons, and the standards there gilt with varnish, and all clean, and green reines, that people did mightily look upon us; and the truth is, I did not see any coach more pretty though more gay, than ours, all the day. But we set out, out of humour—I because Betty, whom I expected, was not to come to go with us; and my wife that I would sit on the same seat with her, which she likes not, being so fine: and she then expected to meet Sheres, which we did in Pell Mell, and against my will, I was forced to take him into the coach, but was sullen all day almost, and little complaisant; the day also being unpleasing, though the Park full of coaches, but dusty and windy and cold, and now and then a little dribbling rain; and what made it worst there were so many hackney coaches as spoiled the sight of the Gentlemen’s; and so we had little pleasure. But here was W. Batelier and his sister in a borrowed coach by themselves, and I took them and we to the Lodge; and at the door did give them a syllabub and other things cost me 12s. and pretty merry: and so back to the coaches and there till evening.”