One writes, that Sir Philip Sidney in the extream agony of his wounds, so terrible the sence of death is, requested the dearest friend he had, to burn his Arcadia; what promise his friend returned herein is uncertain; but if he brake his word to be faithful to the publick good, posterity herein hath less cause to censure him for being guilty of such a meritorious offence, wherewith he hath obliged so many ages.  Hereupon thus writeth the British Epigramatist.

  Ipse tuam morient sede conjuge teste jubebas,
    Arcadium saevis ignibus esse cibum;
  Si meruit mortem, quia flammam accendit amoris
    Mergi, non uri debuit iste liber. 
  In Librum quaecunque cadat sententia nulla,
    Debuit ingenium morte perire tuum.

  In serious thoughts of Death ’twas thy desire
  This sportful Book should be condemn’d with Fire: 
  If so, because it doth intend Love-matters,
  It rather should be quench’d or drown’d i’ th waters. 
  However doom’d the Book, the memory
  Of thy immortal Wit will never die.

He wrote also besides his Arcadia, several other Works; namely, A Defence of Poesie, a Book entituled Astrophel and Stella, with divers Songs and Sonnets in praise of his Lady, whom he celebrated under that bright Name; whom afterwards he married, that Paragon of Nature, Sir Francis Walsingham’s Daughter, who impoverished himself to enrich the State; from whom he expected no more than what was above all Portions, a beautiful Wife, and a virtuous Daughter.

He also translated part of that excellent Treatise of Philip Morney du Plessis, of the Truth of Religion; and no doubt had written many other excellent Works, had not the Lamp of his Life been extinguish’d too soon; the manner whereof take as followeth: 

His Unkle Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester (a man almost as much hated as his Nephew was loved) was sent over into the Low-Countries, with a well appointed Army, and large Commission, to defend the United Provinces against the Spanish Cruelty.  Under him went Sir Philip Sidney, who had the Command of the cautionary Town of Flushing, and Castle of Ramekius, a Trust which he so faithfully discharged, that he turned the Envy of the Dutch Townsmen into Affection and Admiration.  Not long after, some Service was to be performed nigh Zutphen in Gueiderland, where the English, through false intelligence, were mistaken in the strength of the Enemy.  Sir Philip is employed next to the Chief in that Expedition; which he so discharged, that it is questionable whether his Wisdom, Industry or Valour may challenge to it self the greatest praise of the Action.  And now when the triumphant Lawrels were ready to Crown his Brows, the English so near the Victory, that they touched it, ready to lay hold upon it, he was unfortunately shot in the Thigh, which is the Rendez-vouz of Nerves and Sinews, which caused a Feaver, that proved so mortal, that five and twenty days after he died of the same; the Night of whose Death was the Noon of his Age, and the exceeding Loss of Christendom.