THE WONDERFUL Battle of STARELINGS: Fought at the City of Cork in Ireland, the 12. and 14. of October last passed. 1621.  
As it hath been credibly informed by diverse Noblemen, and others of the said Kingdom, etc.  
LONDON, Printed for N. B. 1622.   

TO THE READER.  
Gentle Reader:  
TO report strange and admirable accidents, is subject both to danger and disgrace: to danger, in that they may be held as prodigious, or ominous: to disgrace, in that they may be reputed fabulous. There can be no danger in reporting, so that there be no prognosticating, which by all means I do forbear: only I will say with the Royal Prophet, Admirabilis Deus in omnibus operibus suis, God is wonderful in all his works. And with Saint Augustine, That as it was not impossible for Almighty God in his first creation to make what variety of creatures he pleased, so it is not impossible for his divine Majesty to alter and change the ordinary course and disposition of the creatures which he hath made. Which may appear in this Narration following, the like never heard or ever seen, by testimony of any recorder history in any Country heretofore. I need not to fear disgrace in reporting so strange an Accident to be reputed fabulous, being able to free myself from any suspicion of such an imputation by certificate of Letters, from Right Honourable persons in Ireland where the accident fell out, to Right Honourable persons at Court, and diverse in London at this present: as also by the testimony of Right Honourable and Worshipful persons, & others of good reputation now in London, who were eye-witnesses, beholding the same, during the time it continued. Notwithstanding so ample proof of what I writ, yet I do confess, that so many poetical fictions have of late passed the print, that they have some cause to suspect almost every extraordinary report that is printed: but now that abuse done to the Commonwealth is utterly taken away: for no Currantoes, no reports of History, with the like, may now pass the print, without strict examination, and sufficient approbation, as in experience and trial will be found hereafter. These strange news out of Ireland had been printed before this time, but that it hath been stayed till the truth were fully certified and examined.   

THE WONDERFUL Battle of Starelings, fought at the City of Cork in Ireland, the 12. and 14. of October, 1621.  
As it hath been credibly informed by diverse Noblemen, and others, of the said Kingdom, etc.  
CORK is a City in the west of Ireland in the Province of Munster, for situation, and all commodities which Sea or land may afford, not inferior to any City in that Country. About the seventh of October last, Anno 1621. there gathered together by degrees, an unusual multitude of birds called Stairs, in some Countries known by the name of Starlings: these birds are for the quantity of their bodies strong, for their quality bold and venturous, amongst themselves very loving, as may appear by their flights keeping together all times of the year, excepting the breeding time. It is, and hath been an old proverb, that Birds of a feather hold and keep together, which hath ever been a common custom in these as much as in any other kind whatsoever: but now the old proverb is changed, and their custom is altered clean contrary. For at this time, as these birds are in taste bitter, so they met to fight together the most bitterest and sharpest battle amongst themselves, the like, for the manner of their fight, and for the time the battle did continue, never heard or seen at any time in any Country of the world.  
We read in the Histories of our own Country, that in the twelfth year of King Richard the second, That the Gnats mustered together at Shine, now called Richmond, in great abundance, with so great a multitude, that the air was obscured and darkened by them. They fought so violent a battle among themselves, that by estimation two parts of them were slain, 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 besoms, that bushels were filled with them, the third part having gotten the victory, flew away and vanished, no man knew whither.  
Now to come to the fight of our birds, the Stairs or Starlings, they mustered together at this abovenamed City of Cork some four of five days, before they fought their battles, every day more and more increasing their armies with greater supplies, some came as from the East, others from the West, and so accordingly they placed themselves, and as it were encamped themselves eastward and westward about the city, during which time their noise and tunes 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 couses and passages they used, noted that from those on the East, and from those on the Wess, sundry flights, some twenty or thirty in a company, would pass from the one side to the other, as it should seem employed in embassages, for they would fly and hover in the air over the adverse party with strange tunes and noise, and so return back again to that side from which as it seemed they were sent.  
And further it was observed, that during the time they assembled, the Stairs of the east sought their mere eastward, as the Stairs of the west did the like westward, no one flying in the circuits of the other. These courses and customs continued with them until the xii. of October, which day being Saturday, about nine of the clock in the morning, being a very fair and Sunshine day, upon a strange sound and noise made as well on the one side as on the other, they forthwith at one instant taken wing, and so mounting up into the skies, encountered one another, with such a terrible shock, as the sound amazed the whole city and all the beholders. Upon this sudden and fierce encounter, there fell down into the city, and into the Rivers, multitudes of Starelings or Stairs, some with wings broken, some with legs and necks broken, some with eyes picked out, some their bills thrust into the breasts & sides of their adversaries, 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 exception.  
Upon the first encounter they withdrew themselves backward east and west, & with like eagerness and fury encountered several times, upon all which these Stairs fell down in like strange and admittable manner, as upon the first encounter. They continued this admirable and most violent battle till a little before night, at which time they seemed to vanish, so that all Sunday the xiii. of October none appeared about the City.  
Upon this Sunday diverse passengers came out of Suffolk, who sailing betwixt Gravesend and Wolwigge, they heard a loud and strange noise and sound in the air, whereupon casting their eyes upward, they saw infinite multitudes of Stairs fight in all violent manner together, with a Crow or Raven flying betwixt them, for the flight being so high, they could not perfectly discern, whether it was Crow or Raven: these birds had also several encounters, making great sound and noise, and ever as they divided and retired themselves, the Crow or raven was seen in the midst. But what slaughter was made they could not observe because 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 diverse persons of worth and very honest reputation, whom the Printer of this Pamphlet can produce to justify what they faw, as cause shall require, upon their oaths.  
Now to return to the last battle fought at Cork by these Stairs. Upon Monday the xiv. of October, they made their return again, and at the same time, the day being as fair a Sunshine day as it was the Saturday before, they mounted into the air and encountered each other with like violent assaults as formerly they had done, and fell into the city upon the houses, and into the River, wounded and slaughtered in like manner as before is reported: but at this last battle there was a Kite, a Raven and a Crow all three found dead in the streets, rend, torn and mangled.  
IN this precedent narration one report will cause most admiration, and that is the Stairs or Starelings forbearing and absenting themselves from Cork upon Sunday being the xiii. of October, should that same day be seen to fight near or not fare off from Wolwige, whether the same Stairs, it may be held in respect of the distance of the place by sea and land improbable: but this improbability is soon answered, for as the fight at Cork may seem strange and improbable, yet being most assured that such a battle was fought, it may be as probable in the wonderful works of Almighty God, that notwithstanding the distance of place, these may be the same Stairs. Howsoever, I will dispute these matters no further, sithence in the works of Almighty God, being contrary to the ordinary works of his creation, all the reason which can be all adged for them, is the omnipotent power of the Almighty Creator. As when contrary to ordinary course of Nature in the battle fought by Duke josua, the Sun stayed his course the space of a day. So when at the prayer of Ezechias the Sun retired his course x. degrees: what other reason can be yielded but the omnipotent power of Almighty God. So that albeit we should not be curious to search out reasons for the wonderful works of Almighty God, yerit doth import all Christians not to be careless, but that they must know and consider there is no wonderful or miraculous work, but it doth prognosticate either God's mercy to draw us to repentance, or his justice to punish our sins and wickedness, if we do not make haste to repent in due time, when his mercy is offered, or his justice threatened.  
FJNJS.