%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A battell of Birds / Most strangly fought in Ireland, vpon the eight day of September / last, 1621. where neere vnto the Citty of Corke, by the riuer Lee, / weare gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, as / the like for number, was never seene in any age. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1621 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 05/28/2008 20269

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.70-71 S125206 2 Bonny Nell Bonny Nell Bonny Nell Shore's wife Shore's Wife MArke well, Gods wonderous workes, and see, / what things therein declared be, ANd filling thus the Azure skie / with these their troupes up mounted hie, original woodcut and type not heavily inked compared to facsimile Pepys 1.70-71 STC 5764.7 W. J[ones 1621] Woodblock 2: above left column, below title: Two branches or trees stand side by side. Four small sparrow-type birds sit in the branches. At the top of one of the branches is a nest in which sit two small birds. At the bottom of one of the branches sits another bird facing another nest in which sits another small bird.: 83 x 63 Woodblock 3: centered above right column, below title: A small leafy tree with holly-like leaves and berries on its branches stands in a patch of grass.: 67 x 42 Woodblock 1: centered above two columns below title: A city sits along the shore of a body of water, presumably the river Lee. Several houses are in the right foreground of the woodcut and the rest of the city stretches back and across the background. A wooden fence surrounds the houses in the foreground. The houses are of varying heights and have peaked, thatched roofs. Windows can be seen and out of one of the chimneys of the house comes smoke. In the cluster of houses is a tower or silo-type structure. The rest of the city in the background borders on the river, along which are large rounded bushes or trees. A church steeple can be seen in the distance rising above the other rooftops. In the left foreground, along the side of the woodcut, stands a large tree on the banks of the river. At least fifty or sixty birds are depicted. Two large flocks of birds fly at each other in the sky above the river as if in combat. Along the roots of the tree on the banks of the river lie ten or twenty birds (presumably dead) and another several birds are falling from the sky, presumably wounded or killed in combat. : 98 x 151 Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 70 1: 71 A battell of Birds / Most strangly fought in Ireland, vpon the eight day of September / last, 1621. where neere vnto the Citty of Corke, by the riuer Lee, / weare gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, as / the like for number, was never seene in any age. 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, weare gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, asthe like for number, was never seene in any age. A Battle of Birds Most Strangely Fought in Ireland, upon the Eighth Day of September Last, 1621, Where Near unto the City of Cork, by the River Lee, Were Gathered Together Such a Multitude of Stares, or Starlings, as the Like for Number, Was Never Seen in Any Age. The second part, The second part, The Second Part, 1/2 sheet folio, originally left part, 265 x 169 1/2 sheet folio, originally right part, 267 x 159 creased, damaged surface, uneven inking cropped right edge, creased, damaged surface, uneven inking cast fleurons cast fleurons Printer W. I. 1621 Printed at London by W. I Weinstein: title and STC Weinstein lists I:70-71 under W. J. [W. Jones]. BBTI lists 2 William Jones active in 1621. No other printers with initials W. J. listed active ca. 1621 by BBTI. No W. I. active then and there, either. Plomer lists a William Jones active in Lonon 1589-1618 (Plomer says he dies in1618) and another William Jones active 1601-1626. ESTC lists W. I[ones].

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 5/28/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America History - True & Fabulous animals/nature country/nation death military/war news 05/28/2008 Checker Patrick Ludolph rechecked transcription, metadata; recreated xml 07/12/2007 Checker Gordon Batchelor checked transcription, metadata added, xml created, found ESTC ID at BL 02/13/2005 Transcriber Kathryn Dolan original transcription 08/01/2004 Bibliographer Maggie Sloan Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A battell of Birds</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Most strangly fought in Ireland, upon the eight day of September</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">last, 1621.where neere unto the Citty of Corke, by the river Lee,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">weare gathered together such a multytude of Stares, or Starlings, as</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">the like for number, was never seene in any age.</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of <hi rend="bold">Shores</hi> </hi><hi rend="italic">wife. Or to the tune of Bonny <hi rend="bold">Nell</hi></hi>.</seg>
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, o 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, 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. First from the easterne skyes apeared, a flight[of] Stares, which greatly feared, The p[eo]ple there the same to see, as like could not remembred be: 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. Whereas these Stares, or starling Birds, for want of Helmetts, Glaves and Swords, They used their Tallents, Bills, and Bekaes, 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, 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, together in their Birdlike chat, they all upon asudaine rose, and each the other did oppose.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part, to the same tune</hi></seg>
ANd filling thus the Azure skie with these their troupes up mounted hie, They seem'd more thick, then moats ith Sunne, 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. 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 silly 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: 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.
Yet long with loud and chattering cryes, each company gainst other flyes: 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 strang to se, which men tooke up aboundantly. It was a wonder to explaine, the number of them hurt and slaine, And being a wonder let it rest, the Lord above he knoweth best: what these poore creatures did intend, when thus to battle they did bend. But such a battle nere was fought, by silly Birds which have no thought: In doing ill, nor any mind, to worke contrary to their kind, but yet as nature gave them life, so here they strangly fell at strife. What now for trueth is publisht forth esteeme it as a newes of worth: And by the wonder of their dayes, learne to leave off all wicked wayes, for sure it is that God it sent, that of our sinnes we should repent.
FINIS. Printed in London by W.I