More than being remembered as a poet, Sir Philip Sidney wished to be remembered as a statesman. Although he was quite successful in the political arena of his day, he never reached the importance he wished, nor that achieved by some of his close friends. This essay deals with Sidney and the man who was his ‘model of the statesman’. Looking at five codes—Family, Faction, Fashion, Function and Favourite-status—helps in understanding why Sidney failed to achieve his desired status.