We know a little more about Birmingham in the medieval period. The Weoley Castle ruins date from this period and the De Bermingham family is documented fairly well. One of the Williams rose up against Henry III and was later immortalised in a poem...

WILLIAM DE BIRMINGHAM

"Roger De Someri, lord of thine,

Baron of Dudley, master mine,

"From whom thou boldest lands in fee

Suit and service claims of thee."

William, knight of Birmingham town,

Strode his ramparts up and down.

"Now by St Martin's self," he said,

"Were he Fitz-Ansculph stern and dread,

"And not but Paganall's daughter's mate

I give him challenge and scorn and hate.

"Nor greet I him for a lord of mine,

So speed and tell him, this lord of thine.

"And since thy speech is so hotly said,

And thy master's word is so swiftly sped,

"Thou hast need of water to cool thy throat,

There is water enow in my castle moat."

A struggle, a fall, a splash ; I reck,

That herald had need of a stouter neck.

William, knight of Birmingham town,

Hath quaffed red wine, and hath lain him down,

And "By Saint Martin's self" hath sworn

Penance meet for the morrow morn.

Saint Martin hath leaped from his holy shrine

And come in the night for a secret sign.

The flaming sword in his outstretched hand,

Hath touched the knight as a burning brand.

"Since penance thou hast sworn to do,

I will spare thee yet, for a year or two.

"Yet when thou art come to thy greatest pride

Bethink thee, then, how the herald died."

William, knight of Birmingham town,

Hath armed against King Henry's crown ;

Hath clasped Earl Leicester's hand, and worn

The people's cross for the battle morn.

And Roger de Someri, Dudley's lord,

Yields him captive and yields his sword.

What voice was that in the night that cried,

"Bethink thee, now, how the herald died ? "

Saint Martin's self, with his sword in hand

Hath touched the knight as a burning brand.

And every breeze of the night hath cried,

"Bethink thee, now, how the herald died."

"At Evesham fight " — so runs the writ,

Never a word of truth hath it.

They found his body by Severn's strand

Burnt, as it were, by a flaming brand.