CORKE is a City in the west of Ireland in the Prouince of Munster , for situation , and all commodities which Sea or land may afford , not inferior to any Citie in that Country . About the seuenth of October last , Anno 1621. there gathered together by degrees , an vnusual multitude of birds called Stares , in some Countries knowne by the name of Starlings : these birds are for the quantitie of their bodies strong , for their qualitie bold and ventrous , amongst themselues very louing , as may appeare by their flights keeping together all times of the yeare , excepting the breeding time . It is , and hath beene an old prouerbe , that Birds of a feather hold and keep together , which hath euer beene a common custome in these as much as in any other kinde whatsoeuer : but now the old prouerb is changed , and their custome is altered cleane contrary . For at this time , as these birds are in taste bitter , so they met to fight together the most bitterest and sharpest battell amongst themselues , the like , for the manner of their fight , and for the time the battell did continue , neuer heard or seene at any time in any Country of the world .

We reade in the Histories of our owne Countrie , that in the twelfth yeare 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 ayre was obscured and darkned by them . They fought so violent a battell among themselues , that by estimation 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 vp with shouels , and swept together with besomes , that bushels were filled with them , the third part hauing gotten the victory , flew away and vanished , no man knew whither .

Now to come to the fight of our birds , the Stares or Starlings , they mustered together at this aboue-named Citie of Corke some foure of fiue daies , before they fought their battels , euery day more and more encreasing their armies with greater supplies , some came as from the East , others from the West , and so accordingly they placed themselues , and as it were encamped themselues eastward and westward about the citie , during which time their noise and tunes were strange on both sides to the great admiration of the citizens and the inhabitants near adioyning , who had neuer seene for multitude , or euer heard for loud tunes which they vttered , the like before . Whereupon they more curiously obseruing the couses and passages they vsed , noted that from those on the East , and from those on the Wess , sundry flights , some twenty or thirty in a company , would passe from the one side to the other , as it should seeme imployed in embassages , for they would flye and houer in the ayre ouer the aduerse party with strange tunes and noise , and so returne backe againe to that side from which as it seemed they were sent .

And further it was obserued , that during the time they assembled , the Stares of the east sought their meare 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 vntill the xij . of October , which day beeing Saturday , about nine of the clocke in the morning , being a very faire and Sun-shine day , vpon a strange sound and noise made as well on the one side as on the other , they forthwith at one instant tooke wing , and so mounting vp into the skyes , encountered one another , with such a terrible shocke , as the sound amazed the whole city and all the beholders . Vpon this sodaine and fierce encounter , there fell downe into the citie , and into the Riuers , multitudes of Starelings or Stares , some with wings broken , some with legs and necks broken , some with eies pickt out , some their bils thrust into the brests & sides of their aduersaries , 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 .

Vpon the first encounter they withdrew themselues backward east and west , & with like eagernesse and fury encountred seueral times , vpon all which these Stares fel down in like strange and admitable manner , as vpon 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 xiij . of October none appeared about the Citie .

Vpon this Sunday diuers passengers came out of Suffolke , who sailing betwixt Grauesend and Wolwigge , they heard a loud and strange noyse and sound in the aire , whereupon casting their eyes vpward , they saw infinite multitudes of Stares fighting in all violent manner together , with a Crow or Rauen flying betwixt them , for the flight being so high , they could not perfectly discerne , whether it was Crow or Rauen : these birds had also seuerall encounters , making great sound and noise , and euer as they diuided and retired themselues , the Crow or rauen was seene in the middest . But what slaughter was made they could not obserue because the euening was somewhat darke and the battel was fought ouer woods more remote off , but for more assured proofe of this fight the Sunday before named , there are at this time in London diuers persons of worth and very honest reputation , whom the Printer of this Pamphlet can produce to iustifie what they faw , as cause shall require , vpon their oaths .

Now to returne to the last battell fought at Corke by these Stares . Vpon Munday the xiiij . of October , they made their returne againe , 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 encountred each other with like violent assaults as formerly they had done , and fell into the city vpon the houses , and into the Riuer , wounded and slaughtered in like manner as before is reported : but at this last battell there was a Kite , a Rauen and a Crow all three found dead in the streets , rent , torn and mangled .