Michael Drayton Quotes

• With much we surfeit; plenty makes us poor.

  Michael Drayton

  Poor, Satiety, Plenty

  21 Copy quote

• All transitory titles I detest; a virtuous life I mean to boast alone. Our birth's our sires'; our virtues be our own.

  Michael Drayton

  Mean, Titles, Birth

  13 Copy quote

• Better sit still, than rise to meet the devil.

  Michael Drayton

  Devil, Stills

  18 Copy quote

• It is your virtue, being men, to try;
  And it is ours, by virtue to deny.

  Michael Drayton

  Men, Trying, Being Me

  Michael Drayton (1753). “The Works of Michael Drayton, Esq”, p.265

  18 Copy quote

• Thus when we fondly flatter our desires, Our best conceits do prove the greatest liars.

  Michael Drayton

  Liars, Desire, Conceit

  'The Barrons' Wars' (1603) canto 6, st. 94

  9 Copy quote

• Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part.

  Michael Drayton

  Kissing, Helping, Former Love

  Idea Sonnet 61, l. 1 (1619)

  9 Copy quote

• So in all humours sportively I range; My muse is rightly of the English strain, That cannot long one fashion entertain.

  Michael Drayton

  Fashion, Long, Muse

  1594 Ideas Mirrour,'To the Reader of These Sonnets'.

  6 Copy quote

• When Time shall turne those Amber Lockes to Gray.

  Michael Drayton

  Time, Amber, Gray

  'England's Heroical Epistles' (1597) 'Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, to the Lady Geraldine' l. 123

  6 Copy quote

• Must, bid the Morn awake!
  Sad Winter now declines,
  Each bird doth choose a mate;
  This day's Saint Valentine's.
  For that good bishop's sake
  Get up and let us see
  What beauty it shall be
  That Fortune us assigns.

  Michael Drayton

  Valentines Day, Winter, Bird

  9 Copy quote

• WhenTime shall turn those amber locks to grey, My verse again shall gild and make them gay.

  Michael Drayton

  Time, Gay, Locks

  'England's Heroical Epistles' (1597) 'Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, to the Lady Geraldine' l. 123

  6 Copy quote

• Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part; Nay, I have done, you get no more of me, And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart That thus so cleanly I myself can free; Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows, And when we meet at any time again, Be it not seen in either of our brows That we one jot of former love retain.

  Michael Drayton

  Time, Heart, Kissing

  Idea Sonnet 61, l. 1 (1619)

  9 Copy quote

• When faith is kneeling by his bed of death, And innocence is closing up his eyes, Now if thou would'st, when all have given him over, From death to life, thou might'st him yet recover

  Michael Drayton

  Eye, Closing Up, Bed

  'Idea' (1619) sonnet 61

  13 Copy quote

• Care draws on care, woe comforts woe again, Sorrow breeds sorrow, on grief brings forth twain.

  Michael Drayton

  Grief, Sorrow, Comfort

  Michael Drayton (1753). “The Works of Michael Drayton, Esq”, p.358

  6 Copy quote

• The Falcon and the Dove sit there together, And th 'one of them doth prune the others feather.

  Michael Drayton

  Together, Dove, Falcon

  "The Works of Michael Drayton".

  33 Copy quote

• The mind is free, whate'er afflict the man, A King's a King, do Fortune what she can.

  Michael Drayton

  Kings, Men, Mind

  'The Barrons' Wars' (1603) canto 5, st. 36

  6 Copy quote

• Here when the labouring fish does at the foot arrive, And finds that by his strength but vainly he doth strive; His tail takes in his teeth, and bending like a bow, That's to the compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw: Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand, That, bended end to end, and flerted from the hand, Far off itself doth cast. so does the salmon vaut. And if at first he fail, his second sommersault He instantly assays and from his nimble ring, Still yarking never leaves, Until himself he fling Above the streamful top of the surrounded heap.

  Michael Drayton

  Rivers, Feet, Lakes

  10 Copy quote

• O blessed bounty, giving ail content!
  The only fautress of all noble arts
  That lend'st success to every good intent.
  A grace that rests in the most godlike hearts,
  By heav'n to none but happy souls infus'd
  Pity it is, that e'er thou wast abus'd.

  Michael Drayton

  Art, Blessed, Giving

  6 Copy quote

You May Also Like:

Samuel Daniel

Edmund Spenser

Philip Sidney

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

William Shakespeare

George Chapman

Ben Jonson

Thomas Wyatt