by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Some can flatter, some can faine
Language: English 
Some can flatter, some can faine,
Simple trueth shall pleade for mee,
Let not beautie trueth disdaine,
Trueth is euen as faire as shee.
 
But since Paires must equall proue,
Let my strength her youth oppose,
Loue her beautie, faith her loue,
On eu'n termes so may we close.
 
Corke or Leade, in equall waight,
Both one iust proportion yeeld,
So may breadth be pays'd with height,
Steepest mount with plainest field.
 
Vertues haue not all one kind,
Yet all vertues merits bee :
Diuers vertues are combind,
Diff'ring so Deserts agree.
 
Let then loue and beautie meete,
Making one diuine concent,
Constant as the sounds, and sweete,
That enchant the firmament.

Note: the modernized form below is from Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age, ed. by A. H. Bullen, London, John C. Nimmo, 1887, page 109 with this note about stanza 3, line 3, word 5 : "peis'd : i.e., balanced." 

Some can flatter, some can feign,
Simple truth shall plead for me;
Let not beauty truth disdain,
Truth is even as fair as she.

But since pairs must equal prove,
Let my strength her youth oppose,
Love her beauty, faith her love;
On even terms so may we close.

Cork or lead in equal weight
Both one just proportion yield,
So may breadth be peis’d with height,
Steepest mount with plainest field.

Virtues have not all one kind,
Yet all virtues merit be,
Divers virtues are combined;
Differing so, deserts agree.

Let then love and beauty meet,
Making one divine concent
Constant as the sounds and sweet,
That enchant the firmament.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Bertram Kottmann

This text was added to the website: 2014-02-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 111