A RELATION O● 〈◊〉 Most lamentable Burning of th● 〈◊〉 of Cork, in the west of Ireland, in the Province of MONSTER, by Thunder and Lightning. With either most doleful and miserable Accidents, which fell out the last of May 1622 after the prodigious barrel of the birds called Stairs, which fought strangely over and mere that Cit●●● the 12. & 14. of May 1623. As it hath been Reported to diverse Right Honourable PERSONS.   men work with fire-fighting equipment in a burning town 
Printed this 20 of june. 1622. LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nicholas Bourne, and Thomas Archer, 1622.   

❧ To the courteous Reader.  
CHristian Reader;  
There was this last year 1621. in October last, published a report of a wonderful battle fought betwixt certain birds, called Stairs, or Starlings, at and near a City in Ireland called Cork, which was so strange and admirable an accident, as the like hath very seldom or never been heard of, or registered in any History in modern or former ages. This report being so strange, was of some censured as an untrue and idle invention, Of others, which understood, and by enquiry were resolved of the truth, it was imagined to prognosticate some strange and dreadful accident to follow, as wars, plagues or pestilence, with such like conjectures. Since which time, namely, this last of May 1622. the Omnipotent Majesty of heaven hath not only reproved their vanity, who would not believe so strange a Relation, but hath further by a most dreadful and lamentable demonstration of his power and justice, resolved what that battle of Birds might or did prognosticate, wherein his justice in one respect may be feared, and his mercy by so exemplar a manifestation may be sought after in another. In what manner this battle of Birds was performed, is needles in this place to be repeated, because the relation is extant in Print, albeit, fitting for the Reader to know, because he shall thereby understand, how directly this dreadful, and most terrible late Accident in Cork, was prognosticated in the clamorous and cruel fight of the Stairs, at and near unto Cork, where the Stairs began their fiery and furious fight at the East end of the City; there began the first original of the ruin of Cork: And as the Birds proceeded in their fight, so did the City of Cork consume by fire from heaven, as it is more plainly delivered in the Relation following, to which I leave thee.   

A RELATION OF THE MOST LAMENTABLE Burning of the City of Cork in the West of Ireland, in the Province of MONSTER, by Thunder and Lightning.  
THe City of Cork hath his beginning upon the side of an Hill, which descendeth easily into one wide and long street; The only principal and chief street of the City. At the first entrance there is a Castle, called Shandon Castle. And almost over against it, a Church built of Stone, as the Castle is a kind of Marble, of which that Country yields store. The City hath many houses built of the same stone, and covered with Slate. But the greatest number of houses are built with Timber, or Mud walls, and covered with Thatch.  
This last of May, being the most pleasant and delightful month of the year; To take his farewell, gave it in the most rueful and terrible manner, the like seldom heard of, or seen in any Country, or heard of in any Age, since the beginning of the World. The Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were not more suddenly, or more horribly consumed with fire from heaven, than this City of Cork was this last of May: Albeit I compare this City with Sodom and Gomorrah, it is not in respect of the sins, but in respect of the heavy hand of God shown in like degree. To consume by fire from Heaven either of them, the sins of Sodom are by the Scriptures made known, which are, and ever will be known, by the names of the sins of Sodom. No question but this City of Cork had her sins: Otherwise the hand of God had not fall'n so heavily upon her, but they are not made so apparent as the sins of Sodom. But if Vox Populi, be Vox Dei, If the people of the Country adjoining round about them, may be taken for witnesses, for sufficient proof of their sins, which might provoke the wrath of God upon them: The Citizens, and Inhabitants of Cork, have been taxed and noted for Usury, (the chiefest Daughter of Covetousness) to exceed any City in the King's Dominions, except some Cities in England, which as they are fare greater in quantity, so I fear they do as much exceed in quality of the same sin. But of this more hereafter, when I shall have passed over this lamentable Narration of Cork. This last of May, being Friday, betwixt eleven and twelve of the Clock, the Clouds over the City began to gather thick, which caused such a darkness in their houses, that they were amazed to behold so sudden a darkness. These dark Clouds seemed to Muster together, and to descend by degrees nearer to the City. Whilst the Inhabitants stood thus wondering at the extraordinary darkness, suddenly they heard a terrible clap of thunder; And at the same instant they saw a dreadful lightning, with flames of fire break out of the Clouds, and fall upon the City at the same instant, at the East end, and the highest part of the City. At that very place where the Stairs began their Battle, and where they first fell down, being killed in the fight; There the fire first began with horrible flames: which the Inhabitants of the West and lower part of the City beholding, they began hastily to run towards the East part where the fire began. They were not run half the way, when as they heard a woeful cry of fire behind them, for the West part was also set on fire. Betwixt two fires, being amazed and confounded, not knowing what to do, the flames of fire raged also extremely in the midst of the houses on both sides of the street. Albeit, they had great abundance of water near at hand, there was no means to be had, nor any endeavour to be used to quench the flames. For the fire was so sudden, the flames so hot, and raging, that there was no possibility to come near them. For the fire which falleth from Heaven is unquenchable, and rageth with that violent heat, as may not be endured. So that the Inhabitants seeing all their labours and endeavours to be spent in vain, and many consumed which adventured too near, to save their goods, their wives or children; then they resolve to save themselves by running and flying out of the City into the fields, and to an Island adjoining near unto the City. Some were saved by this means: But those who were in the City were so enclosed upon bothsides with fire, that they were brought into miserable extremities. These had no other means to save themselves, but to fly for refuge into the Churches. There were in this City three Churches, all which were filled with people tormented with woe and terror. For albeit they were in the Churches covered with Slate, and built otherwise with thick stone walls, yet this was no security unto them, when as they had nothing to hope for, but a dreadful expectation every minute of an hour, when the Churches would be fired also. For they could not go out of the Churches, the fire raged so on all sides. And in the Churches they heard nothing but clamours and out-cries. Every man's fear was a torment, not only to himself, but to others generally. For the houses round about the Churches flaming, upon every glimce of fire, the cry was raised, the Church is now on fire; now we shall all be consumed. This was the miserable and woeful case of those who fled to the Churches. Now for those who remained in the streets (as all people whose weakness might not shift for themselves) or young children, whose want of discretion could not foresee how to avoid the danger; or such persons who loved their wives, children, & goods more than themselves, many hundreds of these people were consumed by the fire. Now concerning those who to save their lives fled into the Lands and fields adjoining, in what a woeful and miserable affliction were they? These were beholding their City in a lamentable Combustion. They were turning their eyes this way and that way, where sometimes their habitations were: where they had goods, wives, and children, brothers and sisters; fathers and mothers, cousins and friends; And all either consumed, or in danger to be consumed with fire. And to aggravate the bitterness of their heavy afflictions more, they heard out of the City, hideous and rueful cries and clamours, which made them imagine all were utterly perished and consumed. Thus what the battle and fight of the birds did presage and prognosticate, fell out too true and doleful, in the utter ruin & consumption of a rich and wealthy City. Upon this so grievous an accident, it is absolutely necessary, that all the Cities and Towns of England and Ireland, should make speedy Use of so dreadful an example. For they must consider, the Saviour of Mankind in the xiii. of S. Luke, when he was told of the bloody execution of the Galileans by Herod: Think you (saith jesus) that these Galileans were sinners, more than all the Galileans, that they suffered such things? No, But I say to you, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish. As those xviij. upon whom the Tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: Think you they were sinners above all the men that dwell in jerusalem? No, I say to you, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. By this our Saviour doth make it manifest, that some sinners are punished for examples sake, that other who are guilty of like sins, may by speedy Repentance pacify the wrath of God, that he may spare his rod of justice. These inhabitants of the City of Cork, were not the only and greatest sinners, above all other Cities of England or Ireland, but that other Cities are as grievous sinners as they: But that God hath made an especial example in them, that others may be moved to Repentance, thereby to escape the heavic judgements of God upon them for the like sins. God is merciful and long suffering, but if the offer of his mercy be not taken in due time, his justice falleth heavy where the offer of mercy is refused. The Battle of Birds over the City being so strange and wonderful an accident, might have moved them to considerations of Repentance, but they slighted it over; And now they find (which others may fear) it is good to lay hold on Mercy whilst it is offered. ⸫  
FINIS