(1820).
Drama. The earliest European drama since the fall of the Western empire appeared in the middle of the fifteenth century. It is called La Celestina, and is divided into twenty-one acts. The first act, which runs through fifty pages, was composed by Rodridgo Cota; the other twenty are ascribed to Ferdinando de Rojas. The whole was published in 1510.
The earliest English drama is entitled Ralph Roister Doister, a comedy by Nicholas Udal (before 1551, because mentioned by T. Wilson, in his Rule of Reason, which appeared in 1551).
The second English drama was Gammer Gurton's Needle, by Mr. S. Master of Arts. Warton, in his History of English Poetry (iv. 32), gives 1551 as the date of this comedy; and Wright, in his Historia Histrionica, says it appeared in the reign of Edward VI., who died 1553. It is generally ascribed to Bishop Still, but he was only eight years old in 1551.
Drama (Father of the French), Etienne, Jodell (1532-1573).
Father of the Greek Drama, Thespis (B.C. sixth century).
Father of the Spanish Drama, Lopêz de Vega (1562-1635).
Drap, one of Queen Mab's maids of honor.—Drayton, Nymphidia.
Dra´pier's Letters, a series of letters written by Dean Swift, and signed "M.D. Drapier," advising the Irish not to take the copper money coined by William Wood, to whom George I. had given a patent. These letters (1724) stamped out this infamous job and caused the patent to be cancelled. The patent was obtained by the Duchess of Kendall (mistress of the king), who was to share the profits.
Can we the Drapier then forget?