by George Peele (1556? - 1596)

What thing is love I pray thee tell
 (Sung text for setting by J. Bartlet)
 See base text
Language: English 
What thing is love? I prithee tell.
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;
And as my wits can best devise,
Love's dwelling lies in ladies' eyes.
From The Hunting of Cupid, a masque surviving in only in small fragments.

Composition:

    Set to music by John Bartlet (flourished 1606-1610), "What thing is love I pray thee tell", published 1606 [ vocal quartet for soprano, alto, tenor, bass with lute ], from A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke, no. 14, Confirmed with A booke of Ayres with a Triplicitie of Musicke by John Bartlet, Printed by John Windet, for John Browne and are to be sold at his shop in Saint Dunstan's Churchyard in Fleet Street, London 1606.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.


Research team for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-09-18
Line count: 7
Word count: 50