Moderate Intelligencer (1654)

Hyde-Park, May I, [1654.] This day there was a hurling of a great ball, by fifty Cornish gentfemen on the one side, and fifty on the other : one party played in red caps and the other in white. There was present His HIGHNESS THE LORD PROTECTOR, many of his privy council, and divers eminent gentlemen, to whose view was presented great agility of body and most neat and exquisite wrestling at every meeting of one with the other, which was ordered with such dexterity, that it was to show more the strength, vigour, and nimbleneea of their bodies, than to endanger their persons. The ball they played with was silver, and designed for the party that won the goal.

 

This day was more observed by people’s going a maying than for divers years past, and indeed much sin committed by wicked meetings with fiddlers, drunkenness, ribaldry, and the like : great resort came to Hyde-Park, many hundred of rich coaches, and gallants in rich attire, but most shameful powdered-hair men, and painted and spotted women ; some men played with a silver ball, and some took other recreation.

Oliver Cromwell and many of his privy council were reported as watching 100 Cornishmen wrestling in Hyde Park.

The moderate intelligencer : impartially communicating martiall affaires to the Kingdome of England. Reference.