G25 
111 a foot-noto at page G ho thus explains the line, “ From rais’d 
decoy,” &c. : — “ This was the six hundred Decoy ; the pond, about 
throe acres of water, well sheltered and distant from disturbance, 
became so great an asylum, that I have heard divers decoymen 
say it was apparently impossible for an egg to be dropped without 
hitting one. Our house was a full mile parallel distance ; and 
when tliey were disturbed, any stranger would suppose it distant 
thunder. It is the author s intention to devote a part of the work 
under the life of a low Fen-man, where he will descant more 
largely upon Decoys, having never seen but one i-ational writer 
on the subject, and he has manifested that he knows nothing of 
the theory.” The author, unfortunately, never carried out his 
intention of writing “ rationally ” upon decoying, with a knowledge 
of the practice added ; and decoys themselves had almost become 
things of the past before any accurate description of their con- 
struction and working was written. 
Such was the early life and training of this eccentric individual. 
Of his summer occupation, when following his calling, the following 
r|uotation from page 1 1 will give some idea : — 
“ Born in a coy, ami bred in a mill, 
Taught water to grind, and Ducks for to kill ; 
Seeing Coots clapper claw, lying Hat on their backs,* 
Standing upright to row, and crowning of jacks ; 
Laying spring nets for to catch Rutf and Reeve, 
Stretched out in a boat with a shade to deceive. 
Taking Geese, Ducks, .and Coots, with nets upon stakes, 
Riding in a c.alm day for to catch moulted Drakes ; 
Gathering eggs to the top of one’s wish. 
Cutting tracks in the flags for decoying of fish. 
Seeing Rudds run in shoals ’bout the side of Gill sikc, 
Being dreadfully venom’d by rolling in slake ; 
Looking hingles, and sprinks, trammels, hoop-nets, and te.amings. 
Few persons I think can explain all their meanings.” 
* This, doubtless, alludes to the defensive attitude assumed by the Coot 
when fighting or hard pressed. Gill sike, mentioned lower down, is the 
name of an old drain in the Holland Fen; and slake is, probably, an 
accumulation of stagnant mud. In a Commission of Sewers, 1616 — 17, 
slake is more than once referred to as a stoppage of the water (Wells’ 
‘ Bedford Level,’ vol. ii. p. 47, &c.). As to the meaning of “crowning of 
jacks,” I cannot venture a suggestion, beyond that it was most likely 
some method of c.apturing Pike. 
