Close thine eyes and sleep secure,
Thy soul is safe, thy body sure;
He that guards thee, He that keeps,
Never slumbers, never sleeps.
A quiet conscience, in a quiet breast
Has only peace, has only rest:
The music and the mirth of kings
Are out of tune, unless she sings.
Then close thine eyes and sleep secure,
No sleep so sweet as thine, no rest so sure.

Confirmed with Literary Curiosities and Eccentricities, A Book of Anecdote, Laconic Sayings, and Gems of Thought, in Prose and Verse, ed. by W. A. Clouston. London: Ward, Lock & Tyler, Warwick House, Paternoster Row, E. C., 1876, p. 157, in which it is titled "Last poem of Charles the First" and the note beneath the title says "This poem is given by Nahum Tate, in his Miscellanea Sacra", 1698. The poem is in fact by Francis Quarles.

Composition:

Set to music by Mary Plumstead (1905 - 1980), "Close thine eyes and sleep secure" [ voice and piano ]

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It is based on

• a text in English by Francis Quarles (1592 - 1644), "A good night", appears in Divine Fancies: digested into epigrammes, meditations, and observations, Book IV, London: M. Flesher, first published 1632 and misattributed to Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1600 - 1649)
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-07-05
Line count: 10
Word count: 70