League of the Beggars (1560), a combination formed against the Inquisition in Flanders.
League of the Cities of Lombardy (1167), under the patronage of Pope Alexander III., against Frederick Barbarossa, emperor of Germany. In 1225, the cities combined against Frederick II., of Germany.
League of the Public Weal (Ligue du Bien Public), 1464, a league between the dukes of Burgundy, Brittany, Bourbon, and other princes, against Louis XI., of France.
Leah Holland. Handsome granddaughter of an English farmer. Michael Standish, an artist lodger, paints her portrait and falls in love with her. His mother and friends oppose the match, and Leah, in proper pride, eludes his pursuit. In the end, he weds a girl in his own rank, and Leah becomes a useful and contented trained nurse.—Georgiana M. Craik, A Daughter of the People.
Lean´der (3 syl.), a young man of Aby´dos, who swam nightly across the Hellespont to visit his lady-love, Hero, a priestess of Sestos. One night he was drowned in his attempt, and Hero leaped into the Hellespont and died also.
The story is told by Musæus in his poem called Hero and Leander. Schiller has made it the subject of a ballad.
⁂ Lord Byron and Lieutenant Ekenhead repeated the feat of Leander, and accomplished it in 1 hr. 10 min.; the distance (allowing for drifting) would be about four miles.
Leander, a young Spanish scholar, smitten with Leonora, a maiden under the charge of Don Diego, and whom the Don wished to make his wife. The young scholar disguised himself as a minstrel to amuse Mungo, the slave, and with a little flattery and a few gold pieces lulled the vigilance of Ursula, the duenna, and gained admittance to the lady. As the lovers were about to elope, Don Diego unexpectedly returned; but being a man of 60, and, what is more, a man of sense, he at once perceived that Leander was a more suitable husband for Leonora than himself, and accordingly sanctioned their union and gave the bride a handsome dowry.—I. Bickerstaff, The Padlock.
Leandra, daughter of an opulent Spanish farmer, who eloped with Vincent de la Rosa, a heartless adventurer, who robbed her of all her money, jewels, and other valuables, and then left her to make her way home as best she could. Leandra was placed in a convent till the scandal had blown over.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. iv. 20 (“The Goat-herd’s Story,” 1605).
Léandre (2 syl.), son of Géronte (2 syl.). During the absence of his father, he fell in love with Zerbinette, whom he supposed to be a young gypsy, but who was in reality the daughter of Argante (2 syl.), his father’s friend. Some gypsies had stolen the child when only four years old, and required £1500 for her ransom—a sum of money which Scapin contrived to obtain from Léandre’s father under false pretences. When Géronte discovered that his son’s bride was the daughter of his friend Argante, he was quite willing to excuse Scapin for the deceit practiced on him.—Molière, Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671).