VEGA CARPIO, LOPE FELIX DE, a celebrated Spanish dramatist, was born at Madrid on the 25th November 1562. He was, according to his friend and biographer Montalvan, a poet from his cradle; and beginning to make verses before he had learned to write, he used to bribe his elder schoolfellows with part of his breakfast to commit to paper the lines which he had composed. Having lost his father while he was still a child, his love of adventure led him to leave his home and wander with another lad to various parts of Spain, till, having spent their money, they were found at Segovia and sent home again to Madrid. Soon after this adventure, the young poet was taken under the protection of Geronimo Manrique, bishop of Avila, and began to distinguish himself by his dramatic compositions, which were received with great applause by the public, though their author had not yet completed his education; for, after this period, he entered the university of Alcalá, where he devoted himself for four years to the study of philosophy. He was then engaged as secretary to the duke of Alva, and wrote his Arcadia at the request of that patron, who is frequently mentioned in his occasional poems. He quitted that employment on his marriage with Isabel de Urbino, a lady of rank, beauty, and virtue. His domestic happiness was soon interrupted by a painful incident. Having written some lively verses in ridicule of a person who had taken some injurious freedom with his character, he received a challenge in consequence of his wit; and happening, in the duel which ensued, to give his adversary a dangerous wound, he was obliged to flee from his family, and shelter himself in Valencia. There he resided for a considerable time; but at length found it safe to return to Madrid. His wife died the year of his return. His affliction at this event led him to embark on board the Armada, which was then preparing for the invasion of England. His brother, who served in that fleet as a lieutenant, was shot in an engagement with some Dutch vessels; and his virtues were celebrated by the afflicted poet, whose heart was peculiarly alive to every generous affection. After the ill success of the Armada, Lope de Vega returned to Madrid, and became secretary to the Marquis of Malpica, to whom he has addressed a grateful sonnet. From the service of this patron he passed into the household of the
Vegetius Renatus. count of Lemos, whom he celebrates as an inimitable poet. He was once more induced to quit his attendance on the great, for the more inviting comforts of a married life. His second choice was Juana de Guardia, to whom he was married in 1590. By this lady he had two children, a son who died in his infancy, and a daughter named Felician, who survived her father. The death of his little boy is said to have hastened that of his wife, whom he had the misfortune to lose in about seven years after his marriage. Having now experienced the precariousness of all human enjoyments, he devoted himself to a religious life, still continuing to produce an astonishing variety of poetical compositions. He undertook the very unpoetical employment of secretary to the Inquisition, and shortly afterwards entered into holy orders. In 1609 he became a kind of honorary member of the brotherhood of St Francis. His talents procured him many unsolicited honours. Pope Urban VIII. sent him the cross of Malta, with a diploma of Doctor in Divinity, and appointed him to a place of profit in the Apostolic Chamber. He had dedicated his Corona Tragica (a long poem on the fate of Mary Queen of Scots) to that learned pontiff. In his seventy-third year he felt the approaches of death, and prepared himself for it with the utmost composure and devotion. His last hours were attended by many of his intimate friends, and particularly his patron the duke of Sessa, whom he had made his executor; leaving him the care of his daughter Felician, and of his various manuscripts. Having given his dying benediction to his daughter, and received the last consolations of his religion, he expired on the 26th August 1635. The number of his works is immense, but there is no complete and uniform edition. Fr. Cerda y Rico superintended a Collezione de las Obras sueltas, assi en prosa como en verso. Madrid, 1776-9, 21 tom. 4to. This collection does not include his comedies, which would occupy a much larger number of volumes. See Lord Holland's Lives of Lope Felix de Vega Carpio and Guillen de Castro, London, 1817, 2 vols. 8vo. This Life of Lope de Vega was separately published in the year 1806; and see particularly Ticknor's History of Spanish Literature, 3 vols. London, 1846.