Poems Without Frontiers

Peele was born in London as the son of a clerk at Christ's Hospital where he received his early education before attending Oxford University from 1571 to 1579 at Broadgate, now Pembroke, College, and later at Christ Church, from where he graduated with a Master's degree.

He subsequently settled in London working as a playwright and producer of pageants as well as a talented versifier in which he was recognized as a foremost contributor to the modernization of the English language. He worked with several leading playwrights of the day and, over the years, has had numerous works attributed to him the evidence for which, however, is questionable; but several of his works were performed before Queen Elizabeth and Corporation executives.

He married in 1583 and died in London allegedly of the plague possibly weakened by a dissolute life style.