XX
ANNALS OF CORK.
darkened by them. They fought so violent a battle among themselves, that by esti- mation two parts of them were slaine, and fell to the ground, the number of those which were killed, was so great, that they were taken up with shovels, and swept . together with besomes, that bushels were filled with them, the third part having gotten the victory, flew away aud vanished no man knew whither. Now to come to the fight of our birds, the stares or starlings they mustered together at this above named Citie of Corke some foure or five daies, before they fought their battels, every day more and more encreasing their armies with greater supplies, some came as from the East, others from West, and so accordingly they placed themselves, and as it were encamped themselves eastward and westward about the citie, during which time their noise and tune.<J were strange on both sides to the great admiration of the citizens and the inhabitants near adjoining, who had never seen for multitude, or ever heard for loud tunes which they uttered, the like before. Whereupon they more curiously observing the courses and passages they used, noted that from those on the East, and from those on the West> sundry flight<J, some tw~nty or thirty in a. company, would passe from the one side to the other, as it should seeme imployed in embassages, for they would fly and hover in the ayre over the adverse party with strange tunes and noise, and so return back againe to that side from which as it seemed they were sent. And further it was observed, that during the time they assembled, the stares of the East sought their meate eastward, as the stares of the west did the like westward no one flying in the circuits of the other. These courses and customes continued with them untill the xii of October, which day being Saturday, about nine of the clocke in the morning, being a very faire and sun-shine day, upon a strange sound and noise made as welJ on the one side as on the other, they forthwith at one instant took wing, and so mounting up into the skyes, encountered one a.nother, with ·such a terrible shocke, as the evening was somewhat dark and the battle was fought over woods more remote off, but for more assured._ proof of this fight the Sunday before named, there are at this time in London divers persons of worth and very honest reputation, whom the Printer of this Pamphlet can produce to justifie what they saw, as cause shall require upon their oaths. Nou to return to the last battell fought at Corke by these stares. Upon Munday the xiii; of October, they made their return again, and at the same time, the day being as faire a sun-shine day as it was the Saturday before, they mounted into the aire and encountered each other with like violent assaults as formerly they had done, and fell into the city upon the houses, and into the Riverhwounded and slaughtered in like manner as before is reported, but at this last batte there was a Kite, a Raven, and a Crow all three found dead in the streets, rent, torn, and mangl~d. The sound amazed the whole city and all the beholders. Upon this sodaine and fierce encounter, there fell down into the citie, and into the rivers, multitudes of starelings or stares, some with wings broken, some with legs and necks broken, some with eies pickt out, some their hils thrust into the brests and sides of their adver- saries, in so strange a manner that it were incredible except it were confirmed by letters of credit, and by eye witnesses, with that assurance which is without all ex- . ce£~ion. Upon the first encounter they withdrew themselves backward east and west, and with like eagernesse and fury encountered several times, upon all which these stares fel down in like strange and admirable manner, as upon the first encounter. They continued this admirable and most violent battell till a little before night, at which time they seemed to vanish, so that all Sunday the xiii of October none appeared about the citie. · Upon this Sunday divers passengers came out of Suffolk, uho sailing betwixt Gravesend and Wolwigge, they heard a loud and strange noyse and sound in the aire, whereupon casting .their eyes upward, they saw infinite multitudes of stares fighting i~ all v1~lent m~nner together, with a crow ot: Raven flying 'J?etwixt them, for the flight bemg so high, they could not perfectly dlScerne whether 1t was Crow or Raven,
Powered by FlippingBook