obedient I was seene whose sacred truth was settled in my breast A spotlesse heart I rendred to my Queene whose honour I for to vphold was prest The fruites of fayth in mee were aie exprest Her ioy was mine her griefe my deadly woe what Sidney saies the world will speake I know An earnest loue I to my countrie had The Commons weale I planted in my minde The noble peeres were of my company glad No breathe of troath in me could any finde To vertues heasts my heart was aie inclinde But in the world my dated daies are done My time is spent mine hower-glasse is run Yet whilst I liu'd aie me my hart was woe To see some raunge as wretchles minded mates Seeking by slights to worke the ouerthrow Of sincere truth stil kindling vp debates Like franticke friendes foreseeing not their fates That hedlong run without regard at all By breach of truth to shame to make them thrall I saw how some of Manna made too slight Preferring chaffe before the finest wheat Striuing amaine for to ecclips the light And in the mist to feed on grosser meat Against the Lord their mallice waxed great But he his Church and glory will maintaine Mauger the rage of cruell cursed Cain In cestuous Rome that cage of birdes vncleane Her shriking Owles hath into England sent The subiectes harts from their good Queene to gleane Seducing soules to vse that they inuent The beast of Rome to gape for bloud is bent whose marchant men incenst with ceasles yre Gainst God and Prince made some vnkind conspire All this I saw which made me sob and waile To see the crue of Dathan to increase No griefe to this that faith in men should faile who striue to chaunge by bloud our daies of peace Be thankfull then and stand with sin at strife So shall your God redubble thrise your ioy and gratiously defend you from annoy He for her sake hath garnisht you with peace Your virgin Queene is carefull for your nead Her studies set your welfare to increase Then like good subiectes loyally do deale and as her loue to you shee doth reueile with loue requight her louing heart againe And pray with you her grace may long remayne My Countrie-men ingraft my wordes in minde For wonders great for ye the Lord hath wrought Be thankfull then his fauour you do finde For as by him Daniell from den was brought So he for you that of no comfort thought Gaue vnto you to free ye from distresse Your royall Queene to multiplie your blesse Twentie nine yeares you haue her grace possest Your soueraigne Queene a mother milde to you A carefull nursse that helpes all such opprest As vnto her for princely comfort low To God and Prince remember then your vow Liue subiect like and then take this from mee Redoubled thrice her happie daies shalbe And you that carpe with Catiline for spoyle And would conuert your quiet peace to war Haue some remorce vnto your natiue soyle Let not the Pope procure you thus to iarre Haue care to Christ and know you christians are Its he and none but hee that must you saue Marke well my wordes though that I sleepe in graue In marshall feates I settled my delight The stately steede I did bestride with ioy At tilt and turney oft I tride my might In these exployts I neuer felt annoy My worthie friends in armes did oft imploy Themselues with me to breake the shiuering speare But now my want they waile with many a teare My spoused wife my Lady and my loue whilst life I had did know my tender hart But God that rules the rowling skies aboue Did thincke it meete we should againe depart His will is done death is my dew desart She wants her make I fro my deare am gon She liues behind her louer true to morne In Flaunders I against the spanish rout that spit their spite against my God and Prince that seeke by force like tyraunts bold and stout those townes and forts that feare God to conuince on barbed stead as one for their defence incountred oft amidst the troupe of those repaying them with many bloudy blowes The Canons cracke my courage could not quaile like Mars his knight I rusht amidst the throng and to the flight vnto my great auaile I draue them oft and laid the proudst along my steed was slaine the musketeers among when I my selfe receaued my fatall wound yet horst againe from them conuaied round My greife was great yet was my glory more that I escapt the field from out the hands the English campe with teares did me deplore but life we see in fortunes balance stands death forceth not possessions goods nor lands the rich and poore to him are all alike when God commands he spareth not to strike The chiefest hope I had was in sweet Christ to him I fled as to my dearest friend and as in truth I laboured to persist so in the truth I made my faithfull end My leaue I tooke of euery louing friend I told them plaine my dying day drew neare and that I had no long abiding here My worldly goods I wisely did dispose and to the world that was the worldes I left Mine vnkles hart was wrapt with heapes of woes to see me thus a flowring youth bereaft Care clad my friends their harts a sunder cleft my seruants minds were ouer whelmd with greife but none but Christ was found my comfort cheife My brother deare to God I did commend Desiring him the Lord of hostes to feare and as I liue so to his latter end I gaue him charge the tongue of truth to beare to Syâ—â—â— mates I wishe him giue no eare But as I had been loyall to my Queene So had I hope his faith should flourish greene My louing wife my Ladie and my deare with all my hart I had for aye adue and thus I said O Warwike noble peere thy Nephew now thy face shall neuer vew God blesse my Lord and Countesse his most true I leaue you heare from you I go my way I die to world yet hope to liue for aye And now adue to Pembrakes noble Earle to Countesse thine my sister kind farewell I leaue you all Christ his precious pearle with whom my faith perswadeth me to dwell By faith in him I vanquish death and hell these die in me though death do cut me downe For Christ I know with life my head will crowne My Deuorax my deare my ioy my friend of Essex Earle ten thousand times adue to God with hart I humblie thee commend hoping in heauen thee face to face to view Mourne not for me though death my life subdue I liue to die and die to liue in deed my life was lent and death hath cut lifes threed But yet I know my peeres will thinke on me my guileles ghost shall neuer them forget their good wils shall for aye remembred be that to the graue my corps with honor fet as in my life
THE Life and Death of Sir Phillip Sidney late Lord gouernour of FLVSHING His funerals Solemnized in Paules Churche where he lyeth interred with the whole order of the mournfull shewe as they marched thorowe the citie of London on Thursday the 16 of February 1587. AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-barre neere vnto Sommerset-house 1587 To the right Honorable Lord Robert Deuorax Earle of Essex Vicount Hereford Iohn Philip his faithfull well willer wisheth increase of honor in this life and in the world to come life euerlasting RIght honorable when I considered with my self these no lesse theÌ„ dangerous daies I purposed with deliberation to haue writteÌ„ some thing that might haue tended to your better liking but in the meane season the time to the great griefe of all those that feare God loue his glorious Gospel without faining rendred the fruits of loyaltie to hir excellent maiesty and are carefull louers of their natiue country presented before me a pitiful spectacle the view wherof as it was lamentable so thought I not to ouerslip it without the remembraunce of his deserued fame which dispite of death shall liue for euer albeit his want in Court Towne and country be bewailed of Prince nobilitie Gentlemen rich and poore This Phenix sweet Sidney was the flower of curtesie who in his life time gaue a perfect light in his conuersation to leade men to virtue the fruits wherof so glistered in the eies of mortall creatures that by his example they might both learne to feare God to glory in sincerity to abound in loyalty to become carefull louers of their natiue countrie This euen this most worthy Knight passing his pilgrimage in this terrestriall vale of too manifold miseries so behaued himself that for the exercise of perfect pietie he was honoured and highly esteemed of all men to the poore he was mercifull to the learned liberall to Sutors a great comfort to the fatherlesse fauourable to the widdowes helpfull and to saye the truth his hande his heart and pursâ—e was alwayes ready to support the distressed with goodmen he was delighted and with them alwaies euer conuersaunt and as he himselfe had scaled Pernassus and sat with Citheria amongst the Muses so gloried he in wisdome and the louers of the same with the peruerse the frowarde and malicious suche as were contemners of truth enemies of her maiesties most royall person and conspiring Catalins against their natiue countrie who can saye that sweet Sidney was euer touched with one spot of disloyaltie nay who can not say but that he carried in his secreat bosom a hart vndesiled a cleare conscience a mind garnished with innocencie But alasse this bright burning lamp is extinguished by death who hath robed the prince of as loyall a subiect as euer liued disinherited the noble peeres of a faithful friend and spoyled the coÌ„mons of a carefull comforter whose losse both Prince peeres and subiects wofully bewaile But is Sidney deade no he liueth his virtues in this life haue made a conquest of death and in the world to come his faith hath obtained him the glorious presence of Iesus Christe in the kingdome of heauen And to put you out of doubt his â—â—â—tues so reuiue him from the graue that he in truth speaketh vnto you whose voyce if you will vouchsafe to heare not only you right honorable but all other noble estates Gentlemen and others shall vnderstande that Sir Philip Sidney to his euer induring glorye hath made a conquest of death by fame in this life and is inthronized before God with his sacred saints in the kingdome of heauen Thus crauing pardon at your Lordships hands for my ouerboldnes the time commandeth me to cease sith that the truth triumphantly approcheth to accompany this worthy knight whose plea she most willinglie maintaineth Thus with my harty praiers to the almighty for your Lordships health I conclude beseeching him in this life to defend you from all perill and danger yea moste happy victorye in this life ouer all the enemies of God and her royall maiesty and in the worlde to come crowne your head with honor and glory in his celestial kingdome Your Honors most humble and faithfull welwiller Iohn Philip. The Life Death and Funerals of Sir Philip Sidney knight YOu noble Brutes bedeckt with rich renowne That in this world haue wordly wealth at will Muse not at me though death haue cut me downe For from my graue I speake vnto you still UUhilst life I had I neuer ment you ill Then thinke on me that close am coucht in clay And know I liue though death wrought my decay I neede not I record my bloud ne birth For why to you my parentage is knowne My mould was clay my substaunce was but earth And now the earth enioyes agayn her owne My race is runne my daies are ouerthrowne Yet Lordings lâ—st your patience here I craue Heare Sydneis plea discussed from his graue The feare of God I fixt before my face His precepts pure to learne I did delight The fruits of faith in me possessed place My glory was to do the thing was right In wisedomes bowre I my pauilion pight And lying heere though death my foyle did frame To conquer death I spotlesse kept my name Triumphant truth had place within my brest Her happy heasts I harboured in my heart Her pathes to tread my feete were euer prest And in the truth I plaid my pilgrims part And truth in time according my desert From time to time rewarded me worth praise But time in truth did finishe vp my daies Where I might helpe to harme I neuer ment where I might hurt to helpe I had a care Each ill with good to guard I was content Of rashe reuenge for wrongs I did beware To maintaine peace my minde I did prepare Where discord dwelt her tents I sought to shunne The world can tell if this I haue not done First God I sought in spirite and truth to serue On him alone my hope and trust was set From his sweete worde I neuer sought to swarue But thence by faith foode for my soule I fette what Christ had done I neuer would forget My hope and trust was in his death and bloud For none but he I knew could do me good Buy paths to pace I neuer gaue consent The Syrene songs could no time me disceaue To rest on Christ my fayth was euer bent And vnto him I constantly did cleaue Of his sweete word none could my soule bereaue The light I lou'd and Christ the shining sunne So cleerd myne eies that darknes I did shunne The shepherd sweete that brake the bread of life I could discerne by truthes true Trumpets sound The seruaunt straunge that bred debate and strife My consience came I knew by craft to wound But wolues are oft in silie lambes skinnes found And I their wiles could through my Christ discrie That from the fould I causde the wolue to flie Thus as to God
they loue on Sidney set so from my graue I giue them thankes againe that to the earth to bring me take the paine First to the poore I clad in weedes of woe whose blubred eies did shew their inward griefe the yeomens lookes their heauy cheare did show and of their care I was their causer chiefe the gentles all languisht without reliefe they left their silkes to thinke vpon my wracke and wailfull wise were cloathed all in blacke The drum and fife rang forth my wailfull knell a wofull martch the knights and Captaines past the ensignes wrapt fore told all was not well to see my daies by birefull death defast my standarde braue far out of order plast traild on the ground in greeuous dolefull wise Made rich and poore with plaines to pearce the skies My barbed steeves appointed for the field Whereon I erst encountred with my foe Contrary kinde inforced were to yeeld And for my want a course of care did shoe My warlike launce of me beloued so in peeces burst and all to shiuers torne Gaue all estates occasion meete to mourne Before my corpes sixe Harholdes passed on The first my spurs with pensiue tackes did beare The second he my want for to bemourne Supported sure the gaunlits I did weare The third my sworde and shielde vpright did reare The fourth in hand my crest and colours had The fift and sixe with vissardes wan and sad My coate of armes did beare in equall wise Next came my corpes by worthy Chieftaines borne whose ioyes were sact the teares fell from their eies their mazed mindes with care were ell forlorne the standers by for Sidneis want did mourne their tender hearts did greeue that I was gon Throughout the streets no signe of mirth was showne Next to my corpes to weepe my sodaine fall My brother deare in weedes of woe was dight On horsebacke then my piers to sorrow thrall with watered eies bewaild a marshall Knight And after them in order rode aright My louing Lordes with care and griefe opprest And euery where to mourne my foes were prest Then mounted well next them in open show Of flaunders did the courteous states succede their griefe was great their stomacks fraught with woe thâ—â— did my want of woe a well spring breed But as of Prince and piers I was belou'd indeede So London left me not forgotten quight But gaue to me the thing that was my right For next the states in gownes of violet faire Lord Maior did with Senators most graue On horsebacke make to mourne me their repaire But God hath that that he vnto me gaue though I bee dead my Christ my soule will saue He is and was the piller of my trust I know at last that rise againe I must Next these my friends in order passed on The gentle crew of Grocers comly clad These these my friendes their louing friend did mone they for their friend to mourne occasion had Next these the drumbs and fifes with sounds right sad My passing bell and knell with care did ring Thus to the graue with dole they did me bring After whose sound a carefull Chieftaine past Who brought with him a band of marshall wights All which with woe did to my Buriall hast As men amazed bereft of their delights Not wotting how in war to shew their mights Their muskets borne so out of order cleane As though they knew not what the war did meane Then after them the armed pikemen hie Trayling the pikes along vpon the ground The sight whereof made many a weeping eie the souldiours ioyes care crost with griefe to wound Thus mourne theie 〈…〉 moment 〈…〉 Euen thus and 〈…〉 Miâ—â—â—ies I was brought To Saint Paules Church where I my rest 〈…〉 Next after these the Holdeâ—â—s martched on In weedes of woe to testifie their griefe their heauie cheare was seene my death they mone But all in vaine teares gaue me no reliefe God was my guide Christ was my helper chiefe to whome for aide and comfort sweete I fled with whome I thee though I to world be dead Then as before the Pikemen came againe Yeelding their looks of anguish griefe and smart their Ensignes valâ—e bad them all mirth refrayne And on they past as men cleane out of heart then came the shot who plaid their pensiue part No peace was haâ—d to render any clap Thus sorrowed they with teares my great mishap But when in clay my corpes was cloasly shrinde A vale of shot rang out my fatall knell then euery man cast sorrow from his minde the Pikes were vauncst the Holbertes borne right well And marshially then bad they me fare well the drumbs and fifes then sounded were aloft And on they marcht in order as they oft Thus from my graue I bid you all adew Your Sidneis wâ—â—â—es remember rich and poore Though dead my life doth daily call to you Thinke yee how death knockes daily at lifes dore Prouide your lampes of oyle prepare you sâ—oâ—e My tale is tould and I my race haue runne My bodie earth my soule the heauens hath wonne Virtutis Laus actio The noble Earle of Lester Earle of war wicke and his Countesse Earle of Essex 32. mourners poore men representing the nnmber of his yeares Earle of Leaster Huntington and Essex L. VVillowbie L. North. The estates of Flaunders L. Maior of Lon 24. Ald. with M.VV. Fleetwood The worshipful company of the Grocers richly attired with their Liuery hoodes on their shoulders