George Peele

English poet and dramatist (1556-1596)

George Peele (born in London, baptized 25 July 1556 – buried 9 November 1596), was an English translator, poet, and dramatist.

See also:
The Old Wives' Tale
David and Bethsabe

Quotes

edit
  • What thing is love?—for (well I wot) love is a thing
    It is a prick, it is a sting,
    It is a pretty, pretty thing;
    It is a fire, it is a coal,
    Whose flame creeps in at every hole!
    • The Hunting of Cupid (1591)
  • O Gentle Love, ungentle for thy deede,
            Thou makest my hart,
            A bloodie marke,
    With piercing shot to bleede.
    Shoote soft sweete Love, for feare thou shoote amisse,
            For feare too keene,
            Thy arrowes beene:
    And hit the hart, where my belovèd is.
    Too faire that fortune were, nor never I
            Shall be so blest,
            Among the rest:
    That love shall ceaze on her by simpathy.
    Then since with Love my prayers beare no boote,
            This doth remaine,
            To cease my paine,
    I take the wound, and die at Venus foote.

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

edit
Quotes reported in: Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
  • Villain, a horse--
    Villain, I say, give me a horse to fly,
    To swim the river, villain, and to fly.
    • Battle of Alcazar (acted 1588-1589, printed 1594), act V, line 104. Published anonymously, but attributed with much probability to Peele.
  • His golden locks time hath to silver turned;
    O time too swift! O swiftness never ceasing!
    His youth ’gainst time and age hath ever spurned,
    But spurned in vain; youth waneth by encreasing.
    • Polyhymnia (1590)
  • His helmet now shall make a hive for bees,
    And lovers’ songs be turned to holy psalms;
    A man-at-arms must now serve on his knees,
    And feed on prayers, which are old age’s alms.
  • My merry, merry, merry roundelay
    Concludes with Cupid’s curse:
    They that do change old love for new,
    Pray gods, they change for worse!
    • Cupid's Curse, lines 12-13 (date uncertain)
edit
 
Wikipedia
Wikipedia has an article about: