Sonnet XV. Care-charmer Sleep! Sweet ease in restless misery!

Bartholomew Griffin (d. 1602)

CARE-CHARMER Sleep! Sweet ease in restless misery!

The captive’s liberty, and his freedom’s song!

Balm of the bruised heart! Man’s chief felicity!

Brother of quiet Death, when life is too too long!

A Comedy it is! and now an History!

What is not sleep unto the feeble mind?

It easeth him that toils, and him that’s sorry!

It makes the deaf to hear; to see, the blind!

Ungentle Sleep! thou helpest all but me!

For when I sleep, my soul is vexèd most.

It is FIDESSA that doth master thee!

If She approach; alas, thy power is lost!

But here She is! See, how he runs amain!

I fear, at night, he will not come again.