SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY DECOYS 217 



pipes in one end, and one in the other ; 200 flying 

 smeathes (wigeon), belonging to one 'coy ; abund- 

 ance of pellstarts (pintail), and thirty pellstarts in 

 one hutch. 



"These 'coys near the highways; mighty high 

 trees grow in both of them, so full of cover within 

 the hutch and without, as all ground, reed seatings, 

 and all, covered with wood. Here a 'coy duck 

 brings up chickens. Wood covereth some pipes 

 so thick as there is no net. Sometimes, take 200 

 in a day ; sell them at Christmas for is. a duck ; at 

 other times sometimes 6d., 7d., 8d., and gd. as in 

 season. Trees, herein, as high as birches ; their 

 ducks, smeathes, and pellstarts exceeding tame." 



On Saturday, June 7, 1634, Sir William 

 Brereton went from Leyden, as he tells us, "to 

 John's father's, in a waggon by him sent." John 

 was a Dutchman employed to manage his decoy in 

 Cheshire, and had accompanied him to Holland to 

 visit his relations, and see some of the Dutch 

 decoys in company with his master. 



" We went about six o'clock (a.m.) and came to 

 Allifein, about half-past nine, which is nine English 

 miles. . . . Before ten hours we came to John's 

 father, and went with him to his 'coy, wherein wood 

 excellently grown ; apple trees, plum trees, and 

 cherry trees prosper very well, and shed forth 

 abundance of wood. The largest and neatest 'coy 

 house I have seen, lofted overhead to lay corn or 

 hemp seed ; the pipes so straight, bending some 

 little towards you. Four pipes only until last 

 winter, two in either end ; one more added last 



