A battell of Birds
Most strangly fought in Ireland, upon the eight day of September
last, 1621.where neere unto the Citty of Corke, by the river Lee,
weare gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, as
the like for number, was never seene in any age.
To the tune of Shores wife. Or to the tune of Bonny Nell.
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MArke well, Gods wonderous workes, and see,
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what things therein declared be,
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Such things as may with trembling feare,
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fright all the world, the same to heare:
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or like to these, which heere I tell,
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o man alive remembreth well.
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The eight day of September last,
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which made all Ireland much agast:
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Were seene (neere Corke) such flights of Birds,
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whose numbers, cannot well by words,
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counted be: for greater store,
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as never seene, nor knowne before.
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The flights, so many legions seem'd,
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as thousand thousands they were deem'd,
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All [soaring] up, along the skye,
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as if the battle were on hie:
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in multytudes, without compare,
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which like black clowds, made dim the are.
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First from the easterne skyes apeared,
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a flight[of] Stares, which greatly feared,
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The p[eo]ple there the same to see,
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as like could not remembred be:
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for they in war[like] squadrons flew,
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as if they others would persue.
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And as this flight, thus hovering lay,
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prepared all in battle ray:
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From out the west, another came,
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as great in number as the same,
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and there oppos'd in warlike might,
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themselves against the other flight.
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Whereas these Stares, or starling Birds,
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for want of Helmetts, Glaves and Swords,
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They used their Tallents, Bills, and Bekaes,
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and such a battle undertakes:
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that trembling feare and terror brought,
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to all which saw this battle fought.
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For first, the Easterne flight sat downe,
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with chattering noyes upon the ground,
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As if they challenged, all the rest,
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to meete and fight even brest to brest,
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where presently was heard from farre,
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the same like chattering sound of warre.
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And there upon the westerne flight,
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downe by the easterne Birds did light,
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Where after they a while had set,
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together in their Birdlike chat,
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they all upon asudaine rose,
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and each the other did oppose.
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The second part, to the same tune
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ANd filling thus the Azure skie
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with these their troupes up mounted hie,
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They seem'd more thick, then moats ith Sunne,
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a dreadfull battle there begun:
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and in their kind more strongly fought,
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then can immagen'd be by thought.
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Thousands of thousands, on a heape,
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upon the others backes did leape,
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With all their forced strengths and might,
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to put their Bird-like foes to flight:
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and as it were in battle ray,
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long time they kept them, thus in play.
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To fight this battle in the ayre,
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their bills and beakes their weapons were,
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Which they performed in such a sort,
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as makes me doubtfull to report:
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that silly Birds should thus arise,
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and fight so fircely in the skyes.
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But so it was and strange withall,
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that Birds should thus at discord fall,
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And never cease, till they had slaine,
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thousands, starke dead upon the plaine:
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where people tooke them up in feare,
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a thing most strange to see and heare.
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With broken wings, some fell to ground,
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and some poore silly Birds were found,
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With eyes pickt out, struck downe halfe dead,
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and some no braines left in their head,
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but battered forth, and kil'd out right,
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most strangly in this ayery fight.
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Yet long with loud and chattering cryes,
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each company gainst other flyes:
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With bloody beakes, remorselesse still,
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their fethered foes to maine or kill,
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where whilst this battle did remaine
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their bodies fell like dropes of raine.
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Thousands were to the Citty borne,
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with wounded limbes, and bodies torne:
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For all the fields were overspread,
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with mangled starlings that lay dead,
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in bloud and feathers strang to se,
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which men tooke up aboundantly.
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It was a wonder to explaine,
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the number of them hurt and slaine,
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And being a wonder let it rest,
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the Lord above he knoweth best:
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what these poore creatures did intend,
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when thus to battle they did bend.
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But such a battle nere was fought,
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by silly Birds which have no thought:
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In doing ill, nor any mind,
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to worke contrary to their kind,
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but yet as nature gave them life,
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so here they strangly fell at strife.
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What now for trueth is publisht forth
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esteeme it as a newes of worth:
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And by the wonder of their dayes,
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learne to leave off all wicked wayes,
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for sure it is that God it sent,
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that of our sinnes we should repent.
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