George Whetstone facts for kids

George Whetstone (born around 1544, died 1587) was an English writer and playwright. He lived during a time when England was full of exciting changes, and he wrote many different kinds of books and plays.

About George Whetstone

Early Life and Adventures

George Whetstone was the third son in a rich family. His family owned a large estate called Walcot near Stamford, England. George received some money from his family, but he spent it quickly. He also had a legal problem trying to get more money he believed was rightfully his.

In 1572, George joined an English army group. They were fighting in the Low Countries (which are now countries like Belgium and the Netherlands). There, he met other famous writers like George Gascoigne and Thomas Churchyard. George Gascoigne was even a guest at Whetstone's home, Walcot, when he passed away in 1577. Whetstone wrote a long poem to remember his friend.

His Famous Books

Whetstone's first published book was called Rocke of Regard (1576). It was a collection of stories and poems, many of them inspired by Italian tales. In 1578, he published a play called The right, excellent and famous Historye of Promos and Cassandra. This play was based on a story by an Italian writer named Giraldi Cinthio.

Whetstone wrote an interesting introduction to his play. In it, he talked about what he thought of plays at that time.

Shakespeare's Connection

In 1582, Whetstone published another collection of stories called Heptameron of Civil Discourses. This book included a story called The Rare Historie of Promos and Cassandra. It seems that the famous playwright William Shakespeare used this story to create the plot for his play Measure for Measure. Shakespeare might have also known the story from Whetstone's earlier play. It is also thought that Shakespeare used another one of Whetstone's books for his play Much Ado About Nothing.

George Whetstone also traveled a lot. He went with Sir Humphrey Gilbert on an expedition in 1578–1579. The next year, he was in Italy.

Later Life and Legacy

During Whetstone's time, a religious movement called Puritanism was growing in England. Whetstone followed some of their ideas in his book A Mirour for Magestrates (1584). In a later version, it was called A Touchstone for the Time. Unlike some Puritans who disliked plays, Whetstone only thought plays should not be performed on Sundays.

In 1585, Whetstone returned to the army in the Netherlands. He was present at the Battle of Zutphen in 1586. He wrote other books too, including The Honourable Reputation of a Souldier (1585), which was about military stories. He also wrote a political book called the English Myrror (1586). He wrote many poems to honor important people and a book called The Censure of a Loyall Subject (1587).

After this last book, there is no more information about Whetstone. It was believed he died soon after. Later, papers showed that George Whetstone was killed in a duel outside Bergen op Zoom in 1587.