Page 80 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS.

THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS.


This curious MS., which is contained in a small folio volume bound in vellum, was written between the years 1713 and 1727, and by the favour of the present owner, Mr Robert Smith, of Maldon, can now be criticized. The Decoy was originally constructed in 1713, but in 1721 the owner, evidently finding it to be a source of considerable profit, went to some expense in enlarging it; and it would appear that when the pond was dug out, it was at first filled by pumping from Steeple Creek, but was subsequently supplied from a well which was sunk at what now-a-days appears an insignificant outlay, Ł10, but which probably represents about Ł50 of our money. As affording a good illustration of the prices paid for materials and labour in the days of Queen Anne, the first page of this MS. is not without interest, and I here transcribe it verbatim et literatim:-

AN ACCT. OF THE CHARGE OF MAKEING THE DUCKOY POND UPPON CANNEY MARSH BY ME JOHN COOCH 1713.
	Bot 2½ of rope yarn ... ... ... ... ... Bot. reed and broom ... ... ... ... ... Bot one barrl. of tarr ... ... ... ... ... Bot. netts and twine ... ... ... ... ... ... Bot. piles ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bot. 1660 poles ... ... ... ... ... ... Pd. for diggin the pond and the four pipes ... ... ... Pd. for 120 rod of ditching about ye pond ... ... Pd. Thayers for a pump and filling the pond ... ... Pd. Thomas Peach, duckoyman at Tillingham, for his judge- ment and trouble in setting out the pond ... ... ...	Ł s. d. 2 0 0 8 16 0 1 5 0 7 3 6 12 19 4 14 9 0 64 19 0 23 5 0 15 1 0 26 13 6

Tottall		Ł176 11 4

AN ACCT. OF THE CHARGE OF MAKEING THE DUCKOY POND UPPON CANNEY MARSH LARGER BY ME JOHN COOCH 1721.
	Pd. for removing pt. of a bank and diging ye new pt of ye pd Pd. for makeing 3 new pipes ... ... ... ... ... Pd. for 600 of poles ... ... ... ... ... Pd. for 300 of piles ... ... ... ... ... ... Pd. for tar ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Carried forward ... ... ...	Ł s. d. 97 0 0 4 12 0 4 15 0 4 0 0 1 5 0 Ł111 12 0