royalty restored-第66节

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all　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　conjurer　that；　〃drinking　only　fountaine…water；　he　rendered　out　of　his　mouth　in　severall　glasses　all　sorts　of　wine　and　sweete　waters。〃　　A　Turk；　who　walked　up　an　almost　perpendicular　line　by　means　of　his　toes；　danced　blindfold　on　a　tight　rope　with　a　boy　dangling　from　his　feet；　and　stood　on　his　head　on　the　top　of　a　high　mast；　shared　an　equal　popularity　with　Barbara　Vanbeck；　the　bearded　woman；　and　〃a　monstrous　beast；　called　a　dromedary。〃　These　wondrous　sights；　together　with　various　others　of　a　like　kind；　which　were　scattered　throughout　the　town　and　suburbs　during　the　greater　part　of　the　year；　assembled　in　full　strength　at　the　fairs　of　St。　Margaret；　Southwark；　and　St。　Bartholomew；　in　Smithfield。　These　gatherings；　which　usually　lasted　a　fortnight；　were　looked　forward　to　with　considerable　pleasure；　and　frequented　not　only　by　citizens　bent　on　sport；　but　by　courtiers　in　search　of　adventure。

Nay；　even　her　majesty　was　tempted　on　one　occasion　to　go　a…　fairing；　as　we　gather　from　a　letter　addressed　to　Sir　Robert　Paston；　contained　in　Ives's　select　papers。　　〃Last　week；〃　says　the　writer　thereof；　〃the　queen；　the　Duchess　of　Richmond；　and　the　Duchess　of　Buckingham　had　a　frolick　to　disguise　themselves　like　country　lasses；　in　red　petticoates；　waistcoates；　etc。；　and　so　goe　see　the　faire。　　Sir　Bernard　Gascoign；　on　a　cart　jade；　rode　before　the　queen；　another　stranger　before　the　Duchess　of　Buckingham；　and　Mr。　Roper　before　Richmond。　　They　had　all　so　overdone　it　in　their　disguise；　and　look'd　so　much　more　like　antiques　than　country　volk；　that　as　soon　as　they　came　to　the　faire；　the　people　began　to　goe　after　them；　but　the　queen　going　to　a　booth　to　buy　a　pair　of　yellow　stockins　for　her　sweethart；　and　Sir　Bernard　asking　for　a　pair　of　gloves；　sticht　with　blew；　for　his　sweethart；　they　were　soon；　by　their　gebrish；　found　to　be　strangers；　which　drew　a　bigger　flock　about　them。　　One　amongst　them　＇who＇　had　seen　the　queen　at　dinner；　knew　her；　and　was　proud　of　her　knowledge。　　This　soon　brought　all　the　faire　into　a　crowd　to　stare　at　the　queen。　Being　thus　discovered；　they　as　soon　as　they　could　got　to　their　horses；　but　as　many　of　the　faire　as　had　horses；　got　up　with　their　wives；　children；　sweetharts；　or　neighbours　behind　them；　to　get　as　much　gape　as　they　could　till　they　brought　them　to　the　court　gate。　Thus　by　ill　conduct　was　a　merry　frolick　turned　into　a　penance。〃

On　another　occasion　my　Lady　Castlemaine　went　to　Bartholomew　fair　to　see　the　puppets　play　〃Patient　Grissel；〃　and　there　was　the　street　〃full　of　people　expecting　her　coming　out；〃　who；　when　she　appeared；　〃suffered　her　with　great　respect　to　take　the　coach。〃　Not　only　the　king's　mistress；　but　likewise　the　whole　court　went　to　St。　Margaret's　fair　to　see　〃an　Italian　wench　daunce　and　performe　all　the　tricks　on　the　high　rope　to　admiration；　and　monkies　and　apes　do　other　feates　of　activity。〃　　〃They；〃　says　a　quaint　author；　〃were　gallantly　clad　A　LA　MODE；　went　upright；　saluted　the　company；　bowing　and　pulling　off　their　hats；　with　as　good　a　grace　as　if　instructed　by　a　dancing　master。　　They　turned　heels　over　head　with　a　basket　having　eggs　in　it；　without　breaking　any；　also　with　lighted　candles　on　their　heads；　without　extinguishing　them；　and　with　vessells　of　water　without　spilling　a　drop。〃

The　cruel　sport　of　bull　and　bear　baiting　was　also　commonly　practised。　　Seated　round　an　amphitheatre；　the　people　witnessed　these　unfortunate　animals　being　torn　to　pieces　by　dogs；　the　owners　of　which　frequently　jumped　into　the　arena　to　urge　them　to　their　sanguinary　work；　on　the　result　of　which　great　wagers　depended。　　Indignation　arising　against　those　who　witnessed　such　sights　may　be　somewhat　appeased　by　the　knowledge　that　infuriated　bulls　occasionally　tossed　the　torn　and　bleeding　carcases　of　their　tormentors　into　the　faces　and　laps　of　spectators。　　Pepys　frequently　speaks　of　dense　crowds　which　assembled　to　witness　this　form　of　cruelty；　which　he　designates　as　good　sport；　and　Evelyn　speaks　of　a　gallant　steed　that；　under　the　pretence　that　he　had　killed　a　man；　was　baited　by　dogs；　but　fought　so　hard　for　his　life　〃the　fiercest　of　them　could　not　f