The Irish Poet and the Natural World: An Anthology of Verse in English from the Tudors to the Romantics

Anonymous (1622)

77 ANONYMOUS (1622) In September 1621, thousands of starlings (‘stares’) did battle with each other over Cork city, thoroughly alarming the citizens. The ballad that commemorated the event suggested that this unnatural event was a sign of divine displeasure and urged Cork’s citizens to repent of their evil ways (ll. 107–8). from: 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, we are gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, as the like for number, was never seene in any age … Marke well, Gods wonderous workes, and see, what things therein declared be, Such things as may with trembling feare, fright all the world, the same to heare: or like to these, which heere I tell, no man alive remembreth well. The eight day of September last, which made all Ireland much agast: Were seene (neere Corke) such flights of Birds, whose numbers, cannot well by words, 10 counted be: for greater store, as never seene, nor knowne before. The flights, so many legions seem’d, as thousand thousands they were deem’d, All [soaring] up, along the skye, as if the battle were on hie: in multytudes, without compare, which like black clowds, made dim the are.1 First from the easterne skyes apeared, A flight [of] Stares, which greatly feared 20 The p[eo]ple there the same to see, as like could not remembred be: air. 1 78 for they in war[like] squadrons flew, as if they others would persue. And as this flight, thus hovering lay, prepared all in battle ray: From out the west, another came, as great in number as the same, and there oppos’d in warlike might, themselves against the other flight. 30 Whereas these Stares, or starling Birds, for want of Helmetts, Glaves and Swords, They used their Tallents, Bills, and Bekaes,2 and such a battle undertakes: that trembling feare and terror brought, to all which saw this battle fought. For first, the Easterne flight sat downe, with chattering noyes upon the ground, As if they challenged, all the rest, to meete and fight even brest to brest, 40 where presently was heard from farre, the same like chattering sound of warre. And there upon the westerne flight, downe by the easterne Birds did light, Where after they a while had set,3 together in their Birdlike chat, they all upon asudaine4 rose, and each the other did oppose. helmets, gloves, swords, talons, bills and beaks. 2 sat. 3 a sudden. 4 79 Anonymous from: The second part … And filling thus the Azure skie with these their troupes up mounted hie, 50 They seem’d more thick, than moats ith Sunne;5 a dreadfull battle there begun: and in their kind more strongly fought, then can immagen'd be by thought. Thousands of thousands, on a heape, upon the others backes did leape, With all their forced strengths and might, To put their Bird-like foes to flight: and as it were in battle ray, long time they kept them, thus in play. 60 To fight this battle in the ayre, their bills and beakes their weapons were, Which they performed in such a sort, as makes me doubtfull to report: that silly6 Birds should thus arise, and fight so fircely in the skyes. But so it was and strange withall, that Birds should thus at discord fall, And never cease, till they had slaine, thousands, starke dead upon the plaine: 70 where people tooke them up in feare, a thing most strange to see and heare. With broken wings, some fell to ground, and some poore silly Birds were found, With eyes pickt out, struck downe halfe dead, and some no braines left in their head, but battered forth, and kil’d out right, most strangly in this ayery fight. than motes of dust in (a ray of) sun. 5 deserving of compassion or sympathy. 6 80 Yet long with loud and chattering cryes, each company gainst other flyes: 80 With bloody beakes, remorselesse still, their fethered foes to maine or kill, where whilst this battle did remaine their bodies fell like dropes of raine. Thousands were to the Citty borne, with wounded limbes, and bodies torne: For all the fields were overspread, with mangled starlings that lay dead, in bloud and feathers...