royalty restored-第59部分

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　which　stood　on　the　site　now　occupied　by　Berkeley　Square；　a　magnificent　structure　containing　a　staircase　of　cedar　wood；　and　great　suites　of　lofty　rooms；　Leicester　House；　situated　in　Leicester　Fields；　subsequently　known　as　Leicester　Square；　behind　which　stretched　a　goodly　common；　Goring　House；　〃a　very　pretty　villa　furnished　with　silver　jars；　vases；　cabinets；　and　other　rich　furniture；　even　to　wantonnesse　and　profusion；〃　on　the　site　of　which　Burlington　Street　now　stands；　Clarendon　House；　a　princely　residence；　combining　〃state；　use；　solidity；　and　beauty；〃　surrounded　by　fair　gardens；　that　presently　gave　place　to　Bond　Street；　Southampton　House；　standing；　as　Evelyn　says；　in　〃a　noble　piazzaa　little　town；〃　now　known　as　Bloomsbury　Square；　whose　pleasant　grounds　commanded　a　full　view　of　the　rising　hills　of　Hampstead　and　Highgate；　and　Montagu　House；　described　as　a　palace　built　in　the　French　fashion；　standing　on　the　ground　now　occupied　by　the　British　Museum；　which　in　this　reign　was　backed　by　lonely　fields；　the　dread　scenes　of　〃robbery；　murder；　and　every　species　of　depravity　and　wickedness　of　which　the　heart　can　think。〃

Besides　the　grounds　and　gardens　surrounding　these　stately　mansions；　a　further　aspect　of　space　and　freshness　was　added　to　the　capital　by　public　parks。　　Foremost　amongst　these　was　St。　James's；　to　which　the　merry　monarch　added　several　fields；　and　for　its　greater　advantage　employed　Monsieur　La　Notre；　the　famous　French　landscape…gardener。　　Amongst　the　improvements　this　ingenious　man　effected　were　planting　trees　of　stately　height；　contriving　a　canal　one　hundred　feet　broad　and　two　hundred　and　eighty　feet　long；　with　a　decoy　and　duck　island；　＇The　goodnatured　Charles　made　Monsieur　St。　Evremond　governor　of　Duck　Island；　to　which　position　he　attached　a　salary　much　appreciated　by　the　exile。　　The　island　was　removed　in　1790　to　make　room　for　fresh　improvements。＇　　and　making　a　pleasant　pathway　bordered　by　an　aviary　on　either　side；　usually　called　Bird　Cage　Walk。　　An　enclosure　for　deer　was　formed　in　the　centre　of　the　park；　not　far　removed　was　the　famous　Physic　Garden；　where　oranges　were　first　seen　in　England；　and　at　the　western　end；　where　Buckingham　Palace　has　been　erected；　stood　Arlington　House；　described　as　〃a　most　neat　box；　and　sweetly　seated　amongst　gardens；　enjoying　the　prospect　of　the　park　and　the　adjoining　fields。〃

The　great　attraction　of　St。　James's　Park　was　the　Mall；　which　Monsieur　Sorbiere　tells　us　was　a　walk　〃eight　hundred　and　fifty　paces　in　length；　beset　with　rows　of　large　trees；　and　near　a　small　wood；　from　whence　you　may　see　a　fine　mead；　a　long　canal；　Westminster　Abbey；　and　the　suburbs；　which　afford　an　admirable　prospect。〃　　This　path　was　skirted　by　a　wooded　border；　and　at　the　extreme　end　was　set　with　iron　hoops；　〃for　the　purpose　of　playing　a　game　with　a　ball　called　the　mall。〃　　＇〃Our　Pall　Mall　is；　I　believe；　derived　from　paille　maille；　a　game　somewhat　analogous　to　cricket；　and　imported　from　France　in　the　reign　of　the　second　Charles。　　It　was　formerly　played　in　St。　James's　Park；　and　in　the　exercise　of　the　sport　a　small　hammer　or　mallet　was　used　to　strike　the　ball。　　I　think　it　worth　noting　that　the　Malhe　crest　is　a　mailed　arm　and　hand；　the　latter　grasping　a　mallet。〃NOTES　AND　QUERIES；　1st　series；　vol。　iii。　p。　351。＇

In　St。　James's　Park　Samuel　Pepys　first　saw　the　Duke　of　York　playing　at　〃pelemele〃；　and　likewise　in　1662　witnessed　with　astonishment　people　skate　upon　the　ice　there；　skates　having　been　just　introduced　from　Holland；　on　another　occasion　he　enjoyed　the　spectacle　of　Lords　Castlehaven　and　Arran　running　down　and　killing　a　stout　buck　for　a　wager　before　the　king。　　And　one　sultry　July　day；　meeting　an　acquaintance　here；　the　merry　soul　took　him　to　the　farther　end；　where；　seating　himself　under　a　tree　in　a　corner；　he　sung　him　some　blithesome　songs。　　It　was　likewise　in　St。　James's　Park　the　Duke　of　York；　meeting　John　Milton　one　day；　asked　him　if　his　blindness　was　not　to　be　regarded　as　a　just　punishment　from　heaven；　due　to　his　having　written　against　the　martyred　king。　　〃If　so；　sir；〃　replied　the　great　poet　and　staunch　republican；　〃what　must　we　think　of　his　majesty's　execution　upon　a　scaffold？〃　　To　which　question　his　royal　highness　vouchsafed　no　reply。

It　was　a　favourite　custom　of　his　majesty；　who　invariably　rose　betimes；　to　saunter　in　the　park　whilst　the　day　was　young　and　pass　an　hour　or　two　in　stroking　the　heads　of　his　feathered　favourites　in　the　aviary；　feeding　the　fowls　in　the　pond　with　biscuits；　and　playing　with　the　crowd　of　spaniels　ever　attending　his　walks。　　For　his　greater　amusement　he　had　brought　together　in　the　park　a　rare　and　valuable　collection　of　birds　and　beasts；　amongst　which　were；　according　to　a　quaint　authority；　〃an　onocratylus；　or　pelican；　a　fowl　between　a　stork　and　a　swana　melancholy　water…fowl　brought　from　Astracan　by　the　Russian　ambassador。〃　　This　writer　tells　us；　〃It　was　diverting　to　see　how　the　pelican　would　toss　up　and　turn　a　flat　fish；　plaice　or　flounder；　to　get　it　right　into　its　gullet　at　its　lower　beak；　which　being　filmy　stretches　to　a　prodigious　wideness　when　it　devours　a　great　fish。　　Here　was　also　a　small　water…fowl；　not　bigger　than　a　more…hen；　that　went　almost　quite　erect　like　the　penguin　of　America。　　It　would　eate　as　much　fish　as　its　whole　body　weighed；　yet　ye　body　did　not　appear　to　swell　the　bigger。　　The　Solan　geese　here　are　also　great　devourers；　and　are　said　soon　to　exhaust　all　ye　fish　in　a　pond。　　Here　was　a　curious　sort　of　poultry　not　much　exceeding　the　size　of　a　tame　pidgeon；　with　legs　so　short　as　their　crops　seemed　to　touch　ye　earth；　a　milk…white　raven；　a　stork　which　was　a　rarity　at　this　season；　seeing　he　was　loose　and　could　fly　loftily；　two　Balearian　cranes；　one　of　which　having　had　one　of　his　leggs　broken；　and　cut　off　above　the　knee；　had　a　wooden　or　boxen　leg　and　thigh；　with　a　joint　so　accurately　made　that　ye　creature　could　walke　and　use　it　as　well　as　if　it　had　ben　natural；　it　was　made　by　a　souldier。　　The　park　was　at　this　time　stored　with　numerous　flocks　of　severall　sorts　of　ordinary　and　extraordinary　wild　fowle　breeding　about　the　decoy；　which；　looking　neere　so　greate　a　citty；　and　among　such　a　concourse　of　souldiers　and　people；　is　a　singular　and　diverting　thing。　　There　are　also　deere　of　several　countries；　white；　spotted　like　leopards；　antelopes；　an　elk；　red　deere；　roebucks；　staggs；　Guinea　goates；　Arabian　sheepe；　etc。　　There　are　withy…potts　or　nests　for　the　wild　fowle　to　lay　their　eggs　in；　a　little　above　ye　surface　of　ye　water。〃

Hyde　Park；　lying　close　by；　likewise　afforded　a　pleasant　and　convenient　spot　for　recreation。　　Here；　in　a　large　circle　railed　off　and　known　as　the　Ring；　the　world　of　quality　and　fashion　took　the　air　in　coaches。　　The　king　and　queen；　surrounded　by　a　goodly　throng　of　maids　of　honour　and　gentlemen　in　waiting；　were　wont　to　ride　here　on　summer　evenings；　whilst　courtiers　and　citizens　looked　on　the　brilliant　cavalcade　with　loyal　delight。　　Horse　and　foot　races　were　occasionally　held　in　the　park；　as　were　reviews　likewise；　Cosmo；　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　〃a　very　jolly　and　good　comely　man；〃　whilst　visiting　England　in　1669；　was　entertained　by　his　majesty　with　a　military　parade　held　here　one　Sunday　in　May。

On　arriving　at　Hyde　Park；　he　found　a　great　concourse　of　people　and　carriages　waiting　the　coming　of　his　majesty；　who　presently　appeared　with　the　Duke　of　York　and　many　lords　and　gentlemen　of　the　court。　　Having　acknowledged　an　enthusiastic　greeting；　Charles　retired　under　shade　of　some　trees；　in　order　to　protect　himself　from　the　sun；　and　then　gave　orders　for　the　troops　to　march　past。　〃The　whole　corps；〃　says　the　Grand　Duke；　〃consisted　of　two　regiments　of　infantry；　and　one　of　cavalry；　and　of　three　companies　of　the　body…guard；　which　was　granted　to　the　king　by　parliament　since　his　return；　and　was　formed　of　six　hundred　horsemen；　each　armed　with　carabines　and　pistols；　all　well　mounted　and　dressed；　which　are　uniform　in　every；　thing　but　colour。　　When　they　had　marched　by；　without　firing　either　a　volley　or　a　salve；　his　majesty　dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　entering　his　carriage；　retired　to　Whitehall。〃

Besides　such　diversions　as　were　enjoyed　in　the　parks；　the　people　had　various　other　sources　of　public　amusement；　amongst　these　puppet…shows；　exhibitions　of　strength　and　agility；　bear…baiting；　cock…fighting；　and　dancing　obtained。　　Until　the　restoration；　puppet…shows　had　not　been　seen　for　years；　for　these　droll　dolls；　being　regarded　as　direct　agents　of　Satan；　were　discountenanced　by　the　puritans。　　With　the　coming　of　his　majesty　they　returned　in　vast　numbers；　and　were　hailed　with　great　delight　by　the　people。　One　of　these　exhibitions　which　found　special　favour　with　the　town；　and　speedily　drew　great　audiences　of　gallants　and　ladies　of　quality；　was　situated　within　the　rails　of　Covent　Garden。　　And　so　perfect　were　the　marionettes　of　this　booth　in　the　performance　of　divers　sad　tragedies　and　gay　comedies；　that　they　had　the　honour　of　receiving　a　royal　command　to　play　before　their　majesties　at　Whitehall。　　Amongst　the　most　famous　tumblers；　or；　as　they　were　then　styled；　posturemakers；　of　this　reign　were　Jacob　Hall　the　friend　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　Joseph　Clarke；　beloved　by　the　citizens。　　Though　the　latter　was　〃a　well…made　man　and　rather　gross　than　thin；〃　we　are　told　he　〃exhibited　in　the　most　natural　manner　almost　every　species　of　deformity　and　dislocation；　he　could　dislocate　his　vertebrae　so　as　to　render　himself　a　shocking　spectacle；　he　could　also　assume　all　the　uncouth　faces　he　had　seen　at　a　quaker's　meeting；　at　the　theatre；　or　any　public　place。　　He　was　likewise　the　plague　of　all　the　tailors　about　town。　　He　would　send　for　one　of　them　to　take　measure　of　him；　but　would　so　contrive　it　as　to　have　a　most　immoderate　rising　in　one　of　his　shoulders；　when　his　clothes　were　brought　home　and　tried　upon　him；　the　deformity　was　removed　into　the　other　shoulder；　upon　which　the　tailor　begged　pardon　for　the　mistake；　and　mended　it　as　fast　as　he　could；　but　on　another　trial　found　him　as　straight…shouldered　a　man　as　one　would　desire　to　see；　but　a　little　unfortunate　in　a　hump　back。　　In　fact；　this　wandering　tumour　puzzled　all　the　workmen　about　town；　who　found　it　impossible　to　accommodate　so　changeable　a　customer。〃

Florian　Marchand；　〃the　water…spouter；〃　was　another　performer　who　enjoyed　considerable　fame。　　Such　was　the　dexterity　of　this　conju