The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Part 2, Book 2 · Biography 6
Sr. P. SYDNEY
The Life of Sir Philip Sidney, who dyed, Anno Christi, 1586.
PHilip Sidney, was Son and Heir to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, President of Wales, and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter: a Person of Great parts; and in no mean grace with Queen Elizabeth: his Mother was Daughter to the Duke of Northumberland, and Sister to the Earls of Warwick and Leicester, so that his descent was apparantly Noble of both sides. In his very Childhood there appeared in him such excellent parts, and endowments of nature, that his Father conceiving great hopes of him, was very carefull of his education, so that having soon His education.drunk in the principles of learning at home, he was sent to the University, where he profited exceedingly in the knowledge of the Arts, so that after an incredible proficiency in all the species of learning, he left the Academicall life, for that of the Court, whether he came by the invitation, and instigation of his Uncle the Earl of Leicester, at that time a great Favorite of the Queens: Fame had before hand blazed abroad his noble accomplishments: He was of a comely Presence, and framed by a naturall propension to Arms, so that he soon attracted the good opinion of all men, and was so highly prized in the good Beloved of the Queen.opinion of the Queen, that she thought the Court wanted a great Ornament, when he was absent from it: Whilest he was at Court, at his spare hours, he composed that incomparable Book for phancie, and language, called his Arcadia, when he was but one and twenty years old; the Queen thought him so fit for the greatest imployments, that she sent him upon an Embassy to the Emperor of Germany at Vienna, which he discharged to his own honor, and her good content; yea, his Fame was so renowned through Christendom, In Election to the Kingdom of Poland.that he was in election for the Kingdom of Poland, but our Queen refused to further his advancement, not out of emulation, but out of fear to loose the Jewel of her times: He married the daughter, and sole Heir of Sir Francis Walsingam, then Secretary of State, a Lady destinated to the bed of Honor, who after his death was married to the Earl of Essex, and after his death to the Earl of St. Albans: During his aboad at Court, he became of intimate acquaintance with Sir Fulk Grevil, afterwards Friendship.L. Brook, who thought himself so much honored by his friendship, that having erected for himself a stately Monument in St. Maries Church in Warwick, He caused to be engraven upon his Tomb: Fulk Grevil servant to Queen Elizabeth, Counsellor to King James, and friend to Sir Philip Sidney. The States of the Netherlands having obtained aid of our Queen against the Spaniards, they He is made Governour of Flushing.agreed to deliver up to her some cautionary towns for her security, whereupon she sent over Sir Philip Sidney to be Governour of Flushing, and of the Castle of Ramekins: afterwards his Unkle the Earl of Leicester was sent over as Deputy-Generall for the Queen, who was honorably entertained by the States: and not liking to lye still, and do nothing, he made his preparation for the taking in of Zutphen, whereupon the Prince of Parma sought to furnish the place with victuals, sending with it a convoy of seven hundred horse, and two thousand foot: To intercept these, Leicester sent Sir John Norris, to whose assistance came the Earl of Essex, the Lord Willowby, Sir Phi. Sidney, Sir Wil. Stanley, and Sir Wil. Russel, in all two hundred horse, and one thousand five hundred Musketiers and Pikes: The day being dark by reason of great foggy mists, the Spaniards whilst their waggons made forward, staid in a place of advantage neer Zutphen, upon whom the English were entred before A fight with the Spaniards.they were aware, and were entertained with a furious charge of shot, which notwithstanding they abode, and so valiantly followed the skirmish, that they overthrew, put back, slew, and took prisoners many of them, but herein the day proved dolefull, that the worthy Sir Philip Sidney, as he was changing his horse, was shot by a Musket Sir Philip Sidney wounded.above the left knee, which so shivered the thigh bone, that the Bullet could not be got out: Being thus wounded, he was carried to Arnheim in Gelderland. Whilest he lay thus upon his wound, M. Humphrey Fen, a godly and able Minister, being at this time Chaplain to the Earl of Leicester, went to visit This relation I had from Mr. Fens own mouth.him, who found him carefully fitting and preparing himself for death; wherein he was much holpen by that faithfull servant of Jesus Christ: and after Mr. Fen had been a while with him, Sir Philip told him that he had made his Will, and that he was now minded to be his own Executor, and so causing a Cabinet to be brought to him, he gave him a good sum of Gold, which he had formerly bequeathed to him in his Will: in this his last sickness, his Arcadia came into his mind, and His Arcadia devoted to the Fire.he considered that in it there were divers light, & amorous passages, which might tend to the corrupting of the incautious Reader: It was not as yet Printed, neither was there any Copy of it, but onelyonly one, which for the present was in the hands of his intire friend, Sir Fulk Grevil, and therefore to shew his repentance for the vanity of his youth, he sent to Sir Fulk Grevil, and conjured him by all the obligations of friendship that were betwixt them, that he should presently burn that Copy, that so it might never come abroad into the world; which earnest request of his dying friend, Sir Fulk Grevil had intended to have fulfilled, but that the importunity of some about him, prevented it: Sir Philip Sidney lay thus languishing upon his wound, for the space of five and twenty days, bearing the pains of it with admirable patience, and Christian fortitude, at the end whereof he quietly resigned his spirit into the hands of his mercifull Redeemer, His Death.Anno Christi, 1586. His death was much bewailed both by the Queen and all good men, for the great hopes that they had of this worthy Gentleman, in whom were compleat all the vertues, and valour which could be expected in him: his body was brought over into England, where he was honorably interred with his Ancestors. I have many years ago seen this Epitaph hanging up in Pauls Church of him:
England, Netherland, the Heavens, and the Arts,His Epitaphs.
The World, and the Souldiers have made six parts
Of Noble Sidney, for who can suppose,
That a small heap of stones can Sidney inclose?
England hath his body, for she it bred:
Netherland hath his bloud, in her defence shed:
The Heavens have his soul: the Arts his fame:
The Souldiers the grief, the World his good name.
I have also seen this Epitaph of him.
Carmen Apollo dedit, belli Mars contulit Artes:
Sed juveni vitam Mors rapit ante diem.
Apollo made him wise,
Mars made him very stout:
Death made him leave the world,
Before his youth was out.
Certain it is (saith one) that he was a Noble and matchless Gentleman, and it may be justly said of him without Hyperboles of fiction, as it was of Cato Ʋticensis: That he seemed to be born to do that onelyonly which he went about.
Collected out of Hollands Herωologia Anglica: Fragmenta Regalia: Speeds Chronicle, and the Netherland History.