A PEPYSIAN GARLAND - online book

Black-letter Broadside Ballads Of The years 1595-1639

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	THE LAMENTABLE BURNING OF CORK
	More interesting than the pamphlet is the brief personal note in Richard Shanne's diary (Additional MS. 38,599, fol. 54v): The 30 daie of may was the Cittie of Corke in Ireland Burned with fyre from heaven, over which Cittie the yeare befor, the great battell of Shepsternells was fought, as ye may reed in the yeare An. Do. 1621 \i.e. on fol. 53 of his own diary]. There was verie manie pore people of Ireland came into this Cuntrie A begginge, which was vtterlie vndune by reasone of the said fyre. I my owne selfe did talke with divers of those people that dwelled in the Cittie of Corke, and did enquire of them whether of A trueth there was such A battell of Shep-starnell as reporte went, and whether the Cittie was burned as is afforesaid. A[nd] they all agreed and tould me that there was whole Cart-lodes taken vp of those Shepstares that was slayne in the fight. The tune is given in Chappell's Popular Music, 1, 162. To the tune of Fortune my foe. i WHo please to heare such newes as are most true, Such newes to make a Christians hart to rue: Such Newes as may make stoutest hearts to shake, And Sinners iustly to tremble and to quake. 2   Reade this, and they shall haue iust cause to feare, Gods heauy hand on sinne reported heere: Twas lately heard that Birds all of a feather, Did strangely meete, and strangely fought together. 3   At Corke, in Ireland, where with might and maine, They fought together till store of them were slaine: Their Fight began and ended with such hate, Some strange euent it did Prognosticate. 4   What was presag'd fell out this last of May, Which was at Corke an heauy dismall day: This last of May the Morning was most faire, Towards xij. a clocke, Cloudes gathered in the Ayre. IC6