Born ca. 1558, died ca. 1597, George Peele spent his life in dissipation and engrossed with Grub Street hackwork. At one point, he turned to the theatre. This lovely lyric comes from Peele’s 1599 The Love of King David and Fair Bethshabe.
Rembrandt’s Bethshaba with King David’s Leter, above
He draws a curtaine and discovers Bethsabe with her maid, bathing over a spring. She sings, and David sits above, viewing her.
Hot sun, cool fire, tempered with sweet air,
Black shade, fair nurse, shadow my white hair.
Shine, sun; burn, fire; breathe, air, and ease me;
Black shade, fair nurse, shroud me and please me.
Shadow, my sweet nurse, keep me from burning;
Make not my glad cause cause of mourning.
Let not my beauty's fire
Inflame unstaid desire,
Nor pierce any bright eye
That wandereth lightly.