Filli Di Sciro. Or Phillis of Scyros :: :: University of Virginia Library

Filli Di Sciro. Or Phillis of Scyros

An Excellent Pastorall

Sidnam, Jonathan

FILLI DI SCIRO. OR Phillis of Scyros.

[preface]

To my much Honoured Friend, Mr. J. S. upon his Translation of Filli di Sciro.

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To my much Honoured Friend, Mr. J. S. upon his Translation of Filli di Sciro.

How hath thy cruel modesty betray'd
To dark Imprisonment this beautious Maid.
And rob'd thy Country of so rich a piece.
As honoured Italy, and out did Greece,
While in obedience to thy strict command
She silent languisht,

This Comedy was Translated long ago by M. [illeg.] S. and layd by, as also was Pastor Fido, which was once Translated and set forth by Mr. R. [illeg.] Fanshaw.

yet could understand
And speak our Language perfect, as her own:
A virtue not oth' Sex, but hers alone.
Her Sister in Imprisonment got free
But ow'd to other hands her Liberty,
And had such taking Ayres, that she was grown
The Courted Beauty here as soon as known:
Nor needst thou fear, this meets unequal grace,
Being her equal both in birth and Face:
She's no exposed Issue, but as we
When Pastures shewen, done by great hands, do see
Without severe examining apart
The Colours, Postures, Symetrie and Art.
Crie a rare-piece, so much to Fame we owe
Of th' Authors skil confirmed long ago;
So when her Fathers name as great as theirs,
For Limning souls, and painting loves and sears
Is read upon her Front the Noble piece
Hath double estimate, that's Go d, and His.
Break forth then Innocent sweetness, and shine bright
As the fair Morn,

The Night supposed immediately to precede the opening of this Scene, and the Morn immediately succeeding in which this Pastorall begins, being one full of horror, the other of bright light, both described in the first Scene.

which did succeed that Night
So dark and hideous, that men thought the Sun

And Nature at a stand, their last course run;
When taught by fear th' amazed world did say
There needed new Creation to make day,
Which yet sprang with such sweetness and delight
They wisht there never would succeed a night
Shine forth so fair; and teach our wanton youth
To hate their perjuries, and honour truth.
That the soft Virgins may no more complain,
Mens falshood, and their wronged loves made vain;
But let thy great example strike an awe
Into their souls, as binding as the Law.
Which may into both Sexes still dispense
In Love, success; in Wisdome, innocence.
Taught by thy virtues thus, they both will pray
No Night may ere ore-take thy glorious day.
Which long and fair I as a Prophet could
Foretel should last, and as a Poet would
Create new Fate for thee, were thine not great.
But thou hast perfect temper, and thy heat
Drawn from the Sun and purer part oth' Sky
Predicts, and causes immortality.
And not to be by lines describ'd and shown
Less Artful and Immortal then thine own.

I. H.