Lord E.L.B. Lytton, The Duchess de la Vallière, v. 5 (1836).
Lavaine (Sir), brother of Elaine, and son of the lord of As´tolat. Young, brave and knightly. He accompanied Sir Lancelot when he went to tilt for the ninth diamond.—Tennyson, Idylls of the King (“Elaine”).
Lavalette (3 syl.), condemned to death for sending to Napoleon secret intelligence of Government despatches. He was set at liberty by his wife, who took his place in prison, but became a confirmed lunatic.
Lord Nithsdale escaped in a similar manner from the Tower of London. His wife disguised him as her maid, and he passed the sentries without being detected.
La Vallière (Louise, duchess de), betrothed to the Marquis de Bragelonê (4 syl.), but in love with Louis XIV., whose mistress she became. Conscience accused her, and she fled to a convent; but the king took her out, and brought her to Versailles. He soon forsook her for Mde. de Montespan, and advised her to marry. This message almost broke her heart, and she said, “I will choose a bridegroom without delay.” Accordingly she took the veil of a Carmelite nun, and discovered that Bragelonê was a monk. Mde. de Montespan was banished from the court by the capricious monarch. Lord E.L.B. Lytton, The Duchess de la Vallière (1836).
Liavin´ia, daughter of Latīnus, betrothed to Turnus, king of the Rutuli. When Æne´as landed in Italy, Latinus made an alliance with him, and promised to give him Lavinia to wife. This brought on a war between Turnus and Æneas, that was decided by single combat, in which Æneas was the victor.—Virgil, Æneid.
Lavinia, daughter of Titus Andron´icus, a Roman general employed against the Goths. She was betrothed to Bassia´nus, brother of Saturnius, emperor of Rome. Being defiled by the sons of Tam´ora, queen of the Goths, her hands were cut off and her tongue plucked out. At length her father, Titus, killed her, saying, “I am as woeful as Virginius was, and have a thousand times more cause than he to do this outrage.”—(?) Shakespeare, Titus Andron´icus (1593).
In the play, Andronicus is always called An.dron´.i.kus, but in classic authors it is An.dro.nī.kus.
Lavinia, sister of Lord Al´tamont, and wife of Horatio.—N. Rowe, The Fair Penitent (1703).
Lavinia and Pale´mon. Lavinia was the daughter of Acasto, patron of Palemon, from whom his “liberal fortune took its rise.” Acasto lost his property, and dying, left a widow and daughter in very indigent circumstances. Palemon often sought them out, but could never find them. One day, a lovely, modest maiden came to glean in Palemon’s fields. The young squire was greatly struck with her exceeding beauty and modesty, but did not dare ally himself with a pauper. Upon inquiry, he found that the beautiful gleaner was the daughter of Acasto; he proposed marriage, and Lavinia “blushed assent.”—Thomson, Seasons, (“Autumn,” 1730).