608 MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON EARLY DUTCH AND ENGLISH DECOYS. 
with his own in Cheshire.”* Now in a letter tot Sir Thomas 
Aston, “ at the beginning of the troubles,” which communica- 
tion relates to the mutual attempts of the contending parties 
to secure magazines, allusion is thus made by the Royalist 
writer to Sir William Brereton’s taste and indulgence in this 
particular diversion. “You know what a spirit he is of, and 
having a company of Roundheads about him, may much 
advantage him about Chester ; he is so near his Decoy, that 
he may send out his Ducks every way to fetch others.” j 
Notwithstanding these facetious remarks, Brereton is spoken 
of with great respect by all the Cheshire historians, and the 
authority quoted above in referring to his action with regard 
to the presentation of Lord Derby’s petition to Parliament 
bears testimony to his “ noble nature ” in the following terms : 
“ However iiercely opposed to Lord Derby in the conflict of 
that day, Sir William Brereton, to his honour, does not 
seem to have forgotten that the Breretons had been among 
the most conspicuous followers of the Stanleys at Bosworth 
and at Flodden Field. Sir William Brereton evidently recalled 
those former ties to remembrance in the hour of victory ; 
and with the generosity of a noble nature, used his exertions 
in favour of the vanquished” ( l.c . p. 77). It was the fate 
of Brereton during that unhappy civil war to be opposed to and 
instrumental in defeating his near connections of the Byron 
family, and Michael Drayton’s pathetic lines on the battle of 
Blore Heath aptly describe this brave but unnatural strife : — 
There Dutton, Dutton kills; a Done doth kill a Done; 
A Booth, a Booth ; and Leigh by Leigh is overthrown ; 
A Venables, against a Venables doth stand (G25) 
And Troutbeck fighteth with a Troutbeck hand to hand; 
There Molineux doth make a Molineux to die ; 
And Egerton, the strength of Egerton doth try. 
O Cheshire wert thou mad, of thine own native gore 
So much until this day thou never shedst before ! (630) 
Pol yolbion 22nd Song. 
* In this the Editor is in error, for the comparison was almost always 
to the disparagement of the English decoys. 
t Sir Edward Fitton, of Gawswortli, Cheshire, Bart., dated 27th June, 
1642, to Sir Thomas Aston, another Cheshire Bart., at his lodgings, York. 
X See “ Military proceedings in Lan. ” during the Great Civil War. 
Chetham papers No. 2 (1844). 
