Come Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace,
The baiting-place of wit, the balm of woe,
The poor man's wealth, the prisoner's release,
Th' indifferent judge between the high and low.
        (Astrophel and Stella XXXIX, 1-4)

1. Astrophel and Stella (complete)
   • 1 (Loving in truth, and faine in verse my loue to show)
   • 2 (Not at the first sight, nor with a dribbed shot)
   • 3 (Let daintie wits crie on the Sisters Nine)
   • 4 (Vertue alas, now let me take some rest)
   • 5 (It is most true, that eyes are form'd to serue)
   • 6 (Some Louers speake when they their Muses entertaine)
   • 7 (When Nature made her chiefe worke, Stellas eyes)
   • 8 (Loue borne in Greece, of late fled from his natiue place)
   • 9 (Queene Vertues court, which some call Stellas face)
   • 10 (Reason, in faith thou art well seru'd, that still)
   • 11 (In truth, O Loue, with what a boyish kind)
   • 12 (Cupid, because thou shin'st in Stellas eyes)
   • 13 (Phœbus was Iudge betweene Ioue, Mars, and Loue)
   • 14 (Alas haue I not paine ynough my friend)
   • 15 (You that do search for euerie purling spring)
   • 16 (In nature apt to like when I did see)
   • 17 (His mother deare Cupid offended late)
   • 18 (With what sharp checkes I in my selfe am shent)
   • 19 (On Cupids bow how are my heart-strings bent)
   • 20 (Flie, fly, my friends, I haue my death wound; fly)
   • 21 (Your words my friend (right healthfull caustiks) blame)
   • 22 (In highest way of heau'n the Sunne did ride)
   • 23 (The curious wit seeing dull pensiuenesse)
   • 24 (Rich fooles there be, whose base and filthy hart)
   • 25 (The wisest scholler of the weight most wise)
   • 26 (Though dustie wits dare scorne Astrologie)
   • 27 (Because I oft in darke abstracted guise)
   • 28 (You that with allegories curious frame)
   • 29 (Like some weake Lords, neighbord by mighty kings)
   • 30 (Whether the Turkish new-moone minded be)
   • 31 (With how sad steps, O Moone, thou climb'st the skies)
   • 32 (Morpheus the liuely sonne of deadly sleepe)
   • 33 (I might, vnhappie word, O me, I might)
   • 34 (Come let me write, and to what end? to ease)
   • 35 (What may words say, or what may words not say)
   • 36 (Stella, whence doth this new assault arise)
   • 37 (My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell)
   • 38 (This night while sleepe begins with heauy wings)
   • 39 (Come sleepe, O sleepe, the certaine knot of peace)
   • 40 (As good to write as for to lie and grone)
   • 41 (Hauing this day my horse, my hand, my launce)
   • 42 (O eyes, which do the Spheares of beautie mooue)
   • 43 (Faire eyes, sweet lips, deare heart, that foolish I)
   • 44 (My words I know do well set forth my mind)
   • 45 (Stella oft sees the very face of wo)
   • 46 (I curst thee oft, I pittie now thy case)
   • 47 (What haue I thus betrayed my libertie?)
   • 48 (Soules joy, bend not those morning starres from me)
   • 49 (I on my horse, and Loue on me doth trie)
   • 50 (Stella, the fulnesse of my thoughts of thee)
   • 51 (Pardon mine eares, both I and they do pray)
   • 52 (A strife is growne betweene Vertue and Loue)
   • 53 (In martiall sports I had my cunning tride)
   • 54 (Because I breath not loue to euerie one)
   • 55 (Muses, I oft invoked your holie ayde)
   • 56 (Fy schoole of Patience, Fy, your lesson is)
   • 57 (Wo, hauing made with many fights his owne)
   • 58 (Doubt there hath bene when with his golden chaine)
   • 59 (Deare, why make you more of a dog then me?)
   • 60 (When my good Angell guides me to the place)
   • 61 (Oft with true sighes, oft with vncalled teares)
   • 62 (Late tyr'd with wo, euen ready for to pine)
   • 63 (O Grammer rules, O now your vertues show)
   • First Song (Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes entendeth)
   • 64 (No more, my deare, no more these counsels trie)
   • 65 (Loue by sure proofe I may call thee vnkind)
   • 66 (And do I see some cause a hope to feed)
   • 67 (Hope, art thou true, or doest thou flatter me?)
   • 68 (Stella, the onely Planet of my light)
   • 69 (O joy, too high for my low stile to show)
   • 70 (My Muse may well grudge at my heau'nly joy)
   • 71 (Who will in fairest booke of Nature know)
   • 72 (Desire, though thou my old companion art)
   • Second Song (Haue I caught my heau'nly jewel)
   • 73 (Loue still a boy, and oft a wanton is)
   • 74 (I neuer dranke of Aganippe well)
   • 75 (Of all the kings that euer here did raigne)
   • 76 (She comes, and streight therewith her shining twins do moue)
   • 77 (Those lookes, whose beames be joy, whose motion is delight)
   • 78 (O how the pleasant aires of true loue be)
   • 79 (Sweet kisse, thy sweets I faine would sweetly endite)
   • 80 (Sweet swelling lip, well maist thou swell in pride)
   • 81 (O kisse, which doest those ruddy gemmes impart)
   • 82 (Nymph of the gard'n, where all beauties be)
   • 83 (Good brother Philip, I haue borne you long)
   • Third Song (If Orpheus voyce had force to breathe such musicks loue)
   • 84 (High-way since you my chiefe Parnassus be)
   • 85 (I see the house, my heart thy selfe containe)
   • Fourth Song (Onely joy, now here you are)
   • 86 (Alas, whence came this change of lookes? if I)
   • Fift Song (While fauour fed my hope, delight with hope was brought)
   • Sixt Song (O you that heare this voice)
   • Seuenth Song (Whose senses in so euill consort, their step-dame Nature laies)
   • Eight Song (In a groue most rich of shade)
   • Ninth Song (Go my flocke, go get you hence)
   • 87 (When I was forst from Stella euer deere)
   • 88 (Out traytour absence, darest thou counsell me)
   • 89 (Now that of absence the most irksome night)
   • 90 (Stella, thinke not that I by verse seeke fame)
   • 91 (Stella, while now by honours cruell might)
   • 92 (Be your words made (good Sir) of Indian ware)
   • Tenth Song (O deare life, when shall it be)
   • 93 (O fate, O fault, O curse, child of my blisse)
   • 94 (Griefe finde the words, for thou hast made my braine)
   • 95 (Yet sighes, deere sighs, indeede true friends you are)
   • 96 (Thought with good cause thou likest so well the night)
   • 97 (Dian that faine would cheare her friend the Night)
   • 98 (Ah bed, the field where joyes peace some do see)
   • 99 (When far-spent night perswades each mortall eye)
   • 100 (O teares, no tears, but raine from beauties skies)
   • 101 (Stella is sicke, and in that sicke bed lies)
   • 102 (Where be those Roses gone, which sweetned so our eyes?)
   • 103 (O happie Tems, that didst my Stella beare)
   • 104 (Enuious wits what hath been mine offence)
   • Eleuenth Song (Who is it that this darke night)
   • 105 (Vnhappie sight, and hath she vanisht by)
   • 106 (O absent presence Stella is not here)
   • 107 (Stella since thou so right a Princesse art)
   • 108 (When sorrow (vsing mine owne fiers might))
2. Astrophel and Stella I (Loving in Truth)
3. Astrophel and Stella III (Let Dainty Wits Cry)
4. Astrophel and Stella VII (When Nature made her Chief Work)
5. Astrophel and Stella XV (You that do Search)
6. Astrophel and Stella XX (Fly, Fly, my Friends)
7. Astrophel and Stella XXIII (The Curious Wits)
8. Astrophel and Stella XXXI (With how Sad Steps, O Moon)
9. Astrophel and Stella XXXIII (I might! -- Unhappy Word)
10. Astrophel and Stella XXXIX (Come, Sleep!)
11. Astrophel and Stella XLI (Having this Day my Horse)
12. Astrophel and Stella LXIV (No More, my Dear)
13. Astrophel and Stella LXXI (Who will in Fairest Book of Nature)
14. Astrophel and Stella LXXXIV (Highway)
15. Astrophel and Stella XCII (Be your Words Made)
16. Eleventh Song (Who is it that this Dark Night)
17. Leave me, O Love, which reachest but to dust
18. Ring Out Your Bells
19. Song from Arcadia (My True-love hath my Heart)
20. You Gote-heard Gods

1. The Defence of Poesie (1595)

Notes on Life and Works

• Woudhuysen, H. R. "Sidney, Sir Philip (1554–1586)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. Online ed. Ed. Lawrence Goldman. May 2005.

Biographical information

Given name: Sir Philip
Family name: Sidney
Birth date: 30 November 1554
Death date: 17 October 1586
Nationality: English
Family relations
          father: Henry Sidney
          mother: Mary Sidney
          wife: Frances Sidney (from 20 September 1583)
          sister: Mary Herbert
          daughter: Elizabeth Sidney
Languages
          English
          French
          Italian
          Latin
Education
          Shrewsbury school: 16 November 1564 to 1568
          Christ Church, Oxford: 1568
Religion: Protestant
Literary period: Tudor
Occupations
          Statesman
          Soldier
Residences
          Penshurst: 30 November 1554
          Ludlow: 2 August 1568
          Paris: 1572
          Italy: 1573
          London: 1575
Cause of death: War casualty
Buried at: The Crypt, St. Paul's Cathedral, London
First RPO edition: 1997