Care-charmer sleep, sweet ease in restless misery,

[ZaunköniG]

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 vexe'd 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.