HISTORY OF DECOYS. 151 



"Mr. Thomas Lloyd made a Decoy on the moor for taking wildfowl, 

 and Mr. Mytton, of Halston, built a forge close by on the opposite side of 

 the River Perry, for the purpose of disturbing the ducks for shooting 

 at them, for which a bill in Chancery was afterwards preferred against 

 Mr. Mytton by Mr. Lloyd."* 



In Davies' "History of Whittington Castle," printed about 1800, the 

 following very curious lines, quoted from an epitaph, occur : — 



"ANDREW WILLIAMS. 



" BoKN A.D. 1692. Died April 18, 1776. 

 " Aged 84 years. 

 " Of which time he lived under the Aston family as Decoy man 60 years. 



" Here lies the Decoyman who Hved like an otter, 

 Dividing his time betwixt land and water ; 

 His hide he oft soaked in the waters of Perry,t 

 Whilst Aston old beer his spirits kept cherry. 

 Amphibious his life. Death was puzzled to say 

 How to dust to reduce such well-moistened clay ; 

 So Death turned Decoyman and 'coyed him to land, 

 Where he fixed his abode till quite dried to the hand ; 

 He then found him fitting for crumbling to dust. 

 And here he lies mouldering as you and I must." 



* Mr. Lloyd won the lawsuit from Mr. Mytton (ancestor of the famous J-ick Mytton), 

 and both parties rode up to London to give their evidence. 

 t The name of the river close by the Decoy. 



