The epitaph of Sir Phillip Sidney Knight, lately Lord Gouernour of Floshing

THE Epitaph of Sir Phillip Sidney Knight , lately Lord Gouernour of Floshing .

¶ Imprinted at London by George Robinson for Thomas Cadman , and are to be sold at his Shop at the greate North-doore of S. Paules Church , at the signe of the Bible .

To the right Worshipfull and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Sidney , that was wife of Sir Phillip Sidney now deceased .

GOod Madame as my boldnes may be rebuked for this wilfull presumption , ( in setting forth Verses of so vertuous a Knight whose value my knowledge cannot vtter ) So the forwardnes of my goodwill ( if any offence happen ) may be pardonable & make a free passage to the wofull Epitaph of your Ladishippes worthie Husband . But so excellent a Personage , ( beautified with such noblenesse and learning ) ought not to bee described and handled with the ignorant pen of so simple a writer . For who should speake of Achilles praise but Homer : yet good Ladie , in the bare & plaine phrase , of a meane writer , true things may be couched , and from weake and base words , some stately and hie matter may be gathered . For as out of Chaffe good Corne is sifted , and fine golde is drawne from the grosest Drosse : so out of little Flint stones men strike out great sparkes of Fire , and from many a small trifle great wealth & treasure doth arise . What needeth this Florish to bring in good liking and credite my sillie knowledge ? or to what end serues these drie discourses in so flowing a world ? where the sweete Fountaine and moysture of the Muses in this most fruitfull tyme , findes Tydes and seasons so replenished with water springs , that no soyle nor peece of ground in our land , but hath taisted & felt the gracious dewe of the Heauens : I meane the bountie of this age ( touching the quicknesse of sharpe sperites ) is so beneficiall to thousands who haue reaped the chiefest Corne , that there is left no Seede nor Graine to no such an infortunate Gleaner as my selfe : Their workes , their Bookes , & their learned arguments in sondrie maners , doth shewe they haue happely gotten and gathered the first crop of knowledge into their Barne : so that they which shall come after must either lose their labour , or bee driuen to walke peaking about the feelde to picke vp such forgotten eares of Corne , as the Reapers haue unwillingly left , or the ouersight of the world did carelesly looke vnto . The consait of these causes hath almost astonyed my muse . For the matter I treate on hath bene before both learnedly and sententiously spoken of . What course then can I holde , or compasse can I keepe ? for both our speeches attends but to one purpose : which is but to shewe the life and death of one onely Parragon and renowmed Knight of England . When the substance of a true tale is at the first throughly conceiued , I can find no inuention to perswade a beleef of a second trueth to bee vnderstood . And when an other man hath tolde as much as I can imagine , my silence were as seemely as my further dispute of the matter . But yet by the way ( vnder fauour be it spoken ) though at one present instant , two seuerall Mothers haue brought into the world two sondrie Children yet neither in nature , shape nor condition the one proueth like the other : it may so fall out of these two Epitaphes ( written on Sir Phillip Sidney ) whose varietie , and inuentions , by strangenes of style may moue many Readers to consider the better of the matter penned . This my worke presented to your good Ladiship craueth that credit , that as it may bee looked on , So it may passe as a memoriall , of such a worthie man , as it maketh mention of . I write not to renue any sorrowe ( where there is to much sadnes alreadie ) but to reuiue the heart with hope and gladnes , when it shall call to remembraunce , the generall loue and affection of the people towardes this rare Gentleman : whose noble inclination and forme of life , is as well seene & heard by the common report of the world , as though we sawe him aliue againe amongst vs . What greater ioye can a good wife haue then the hearing of the honorable report of so worthie an Husband ? What Picture or Image can set forth any such presentation ( to please either the mynd or eye ) as true penned Uerses both voyde of flattry or any vaine respect ? Or what can touch so nere the worthinesse of man , as the Pen that searcheth the secretes of nature , gropes the inward motions of the mind , and sets forth the hidden giftes of grace . If Appelles were aliue , he could but with his Pensell paint out the fauour and proportion of your Ladiships most well beloued : but an honest true Writer with his Pen , explayneth and setteth open al the vertues belonging to a noble Personage . So as farre as my poore knowledge and cunning may reach , I haue stretched my iudgement and opinion , of one in deede of the worthiest that euer I knewe borne in our tyme . Trusting that your Ladiship will giue good countenance to my labor , and doubting no whit but the world enbraseth my trauaile . For the generall consent of many multitudes procured my Pen to set forth this work , as knoweth God , who possesse your Ladishipp with peace rest and blessednesse .

At humble commaundment , Thomas Churchyard .

The worthie Sir Phillip Sidney Knight his Epitaph , that was of late Lord Gouernour of Floshnig A Greater losse then world well waies ‖ or may be toucht with pen , No lacke so much ( in these our daies ) as want of worthie men : When wealth is gon , yet wit or hap ‖ may quicklie get more good : But when the Tree hath lost his Sap ‖ farewell both braunch and bud . What sighes or sobbes shall now suffice ‖ to counterpaise the paine ? What floods of teares , or weeping eyes ‖ may bring our losse againe : No sorrowe serues , we wayle to late ‖ our Jewell gay is gon , A speciall member of our state ‖ had Natures course held on . For kind did lay a liuely plot ‖ that farre surpass our skill , To long at large to tell God wot ‖ her cunning worke at will . But I may shew , how from a Child ‖ she fostred vp this man , And fraught him full of maners mild ‖ when he this world began , First knowledge ripe , in Schoole he caught ‖ to whet his noble spréete , As he had bin by Tully taught ‖ to flowe in sentence swéet . Both pen and tongue did aunswer mind ‖ as water-streames had r●n From Fountaine head by course of kind ‖ from whence great floods be gon . A wit that could conceiue as fast ‖ as went quick view of eye : A sence that swift as Swallow past ‖ through matters rare and hye . His eare no sooner heard the sound ‖ of voyce or déepe foresight , But straight way iudgement passage found ‖ to bring dark words to light . His bountie blased like Torch by night ‖ and dimde their Candles all , And ●●aynd both Lampe and Lanterne light ‖ where sparkes from flame did fall . His life with chast desires was deckt ‖ where euer he becam , As he had bin the Lords eleckt ‖ and made a chosen Lam. His countnaunce gaue a gladsome grace ‖ with manly pleasant showe , To all that did beholde his face ‖ or would his fauour knowe . His learned speach had force to breake ‖ the thick and hardest yce , And looke what tonge and mouth did speake ‖ the mind held most in price . In prime of youth Embastor sent ‖ to Emprour farr from hence , And wan such credite where he went ‖ that made him honord sence . Ranne faire at Tilt , like Mars his Sonne ‖ with couched Launce on brest , And good report of people won ‖ that passed all the rest . A man made out of goodliest mould ‖ as shape in waxe were wrought , Or Picture stoode in stampe of gold ‖ to please each gazers thought . An Heire in déede of great accoumpt ‖ whose hope great hap might haue , Yet muck made neuer mynd to mount ‖ for ought that Fortune gaue . His silent lookes sayd wisedome great ‖ did lodge in loftie brow : His patient heart ( in chollers heate ) supprest all passions throw . His inward gifts could closely shroude ‖ in humble courties cheere , As Phoebus hid his head in Cloude ‖ to shine at length more cleere . A portly presence passing fine ‖ with beautie furnisht well , Where vertues buds and grace deuine ‖ and daintie gifts did dwell . Well seene and read in diuers Artes ‖ his works they shewe the same : Well trauayld to , in sondrie partes ‖ to purchase péerelsse Fame , Brought home both language lawde and lore ‖ & might the Lawrell weare , And crownd with Garland be therefore ‖ and style of Honor beare . In Conscience cause and Countries care ‖ to bloodie warres he went , Where loe on murthering Shot vnware ‖ alas his life he spent . To farre he ventred for renowne ‖ to short he made his skope : To soone that stately stalke fell downe ‖ in whom was such great hope . To late this world will warned bee ‖ to quick comes our dispatch : To blind is dazeled eyes to see ‖ where Death for life doth watch . Though manhood runnes in Armor gay ‖ where great exployts haue bin , Yet courage casts more men away ‖ then all the world can win . For Sidneis sake ( O wicked Shot ) our natiue Countrey cryes : Yea though his death great glorie got ‖ and Fame thereby doth rise , In wretched earth and Tombe God wot ‖ his worthie bodie lyes : Who left behinde by heauie lot ‖ a world of weeping eyes . But chiefly Prince and publick weale ‖ who waies his worth a right , A secret sigh or two they steale ‖ in thinking on this Knight . He feard no death , when one did craue ‖ if he would dye or no , Yet wisht some longer life to haue ‖ if God were pleased so . First to amend his life he sought ‖ a respite for a space , To purge his Soule that Christ had bought ‖ and therby purchase grace . Next only for Religions sake ‖ he crau'd a yere or two , Before from world he leaue did take ‖ that he some good might do . And last of all for Common weale ‖ he wisht a while to liue , That to the honor of our state ‖ he might some councell giue . Oh what desire was this of his ‖ from whence came that great minde : Was euer heauenlier thing then this ‖ brought forth of humaine kinde : No no , the Pearle of precious price ‖ is lost or stolne away , The head where dwelt each deepe deuice ‖ will here no longer stay , His trends and kindred wring their hands ‖ and heauie hearted goe : His wayling wife like Image stands ‖ and cannot speake for woe . His Seruants shake their heads and say ‖ ( as men orecome with rage ) Where is our Maister and our stay ‖ in this hard haples age . His Sisters life consumes away ‖ like Snow against the Sunne , His Brethren ban that dismoll day ‖ when his short race was runne . His Soldoiurs dolefull Dromme doth sound ‖ & march in mourning sort , And trayles the Ensigne on the ground ‖ in signe of sad La mort . But with exchaunge all chaunges goe ‖ for life comes death in place : For ioy comes payn , for wealth comes woe ‖ for woe & grief comes grace . So leaue his Soule , where saeftie is ‖ embraest in Abrahams brest , There let him sléepe with endles blis ‖ that here could take no rest . FINIS .