Vicente, a Spanish ecclesiastic, born in 1544 in the province of Granada, who is now chiefly noted as having produced one of the best of those romances delineating Spanish manners, that have found imitators in other countries. This book is entitled Relaciones de la Vida y Hechos del Escudero Marcos de Otegon, which appeared in 1618 at Barcelona, at a period when Spanish literature was at a low ebb. Marcos is not a chivalresque esquire, but a simple individual who seeks his fortune by attaching himself to great men; and the object of the author is to warn young men against so degrading a course of life. The squire tells his own story. The incidents are not generally exciting, though amusing, and nationally characteristic; the style correct, though somewhat diffuse. Its chief interest, like that of the clever Vida y Hechos del Picaro Gusman de Aljarrache de Aleman, is that Le Sage has not scrupled to borrow from both writers many of the incidents and characters in his admirable novel of Gil Blas; a circumstance which has induced an indignant Spaniard to entitle his translation into Spanish of Le Sage's work, Gil Blas restored to its Country and his Native Tongue, in the preface to which he denounces the barefaced plagiarism.

Espinel was noted for his musical taste, and added a fifth string to the national guitar. He was also a poet of some reputation, especially for his Canciones and Redondillas. His pastorals and elegies contain many spirited natural descriptions, though they do not abound in many original conceptions; and his versification is always harmonious.

He also translated into verse some of the odes and the Ars Poetica of Horace.

Espinel seems to have been neglected in his old age, for he died in great poverty at Madrid in 1634, at the age of ninety.