The Park shone brighter than the skyes, With jewels and gold, and Ladies' eyes, That sparkled and cry'd come see me: Of all parts of England, Hide Park hath the name, It looked at first sight, like a field full of flame, Which made me ride up tan-lives.
NEWS FROM HYDE PARK, an old ballad, c. 1670.
[The ballad appears in Walter Thornbury, Old and New London: A Narrative of its History, its People and its Places. Illustrated with Numerous Engravings from the Most Authentic Sources.: Volume 4
One evening, a little before it was dark,
Sing tantararara tantivee,
I call'd for my gelding and rid to Hide Parke,
On tantararara tantivee:
It was in the merry month of May,
When meadows and fields were gaudy and gay,
And flowers apparell'd bright as the day,
I got upon my tantivee.
The Park shone brighter than the skyes,
Sing tantararara tantivee,
With jewels, and gold, and ladies' eyes
That sparkled and cry'd, Come see me:
Of all parts of England, Hide Park hath the name
For coaches and horses, and persons of fame:
It looked at first sight like a field full of flame,
Which made me ride up tantivee.
There hath not been seen such a sight since Adam's,
For perriwig, ribbon, and feather.
Hide Park may be termed the market of Madams,
Or Lady-Fair, chuse you whether;
Their gowns were a yard too long for their legs,
They shew'd like the rainbow cut into rags,
A garden of flowers, or a navy of flags,
When they all did mingle together.]
