Marian, “the daughter” of Robert, a wrecker, and betrothed to Edward, a young sailor. She was fair in person, loving, and holy. During the absence of Edward at sea, a storm arose, and Robert went to the coast to look for plunder. Marian followed him, and in the dusk saw some one stab another. She thought it was her father, but it was Black Norris. Her father being taken up, Marian gave evidence against him, and the old man was condemned to death. Norris now told Marian he would save her father if she would become his wife. She made the promise, but was saved the misery of the marriage by the arrest of Norris for murder.—S. Knowles, The Daughter (1836).
Marian´a, a lovely and loveable lady, betrothed to Angelo, who, during the absence of Vincentio, the duke of Vienna, acted as his lord deputy. Her pleadings to the duke for Angelo are wholly unrivalled.—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).
Timid and shrinking before, she does not now wait to be encouraged in her suit. She is instant and importunate. She does not reason with the duke; she begs; she implores.—R. G. White.
Mariana, sister of Lodovi´co Sforza, duke of Milan, and wife of Francesco, his chief minister of state.—Massinger, The Duke of Milan (1622).
Mariana, daughter of Lord Charney; taken prisoner by the English, and in love with Arnold (friend of the Black Prince). Just before the battle of Poitiers, thinking the English cause hopeless, Mariana induces Arnold to desert; but Lord Charney will not receive him. Arnold returns to the English camp, and dies in battle. Lord Charney is also slain, and Mariana dies distracted.—Shirley, Edward, the Black Prince (1640).
Mariana, the young lady that Lovegold, the miser, wished to marry. As Mariana was in love with the miser’s son, Frederick, she pretended to be extravagant and deeply in debt, which so affected the old hunks, that he gave her £2000 to be let off the bargain. Of course she assented and married Frederick.—H. Fielding, The Miser.
Mariana, the daughter of a Swiss burgher, “the most beautiful of women.” “Her gentleness a smile without a smile, a sweetness of look, speech, act.” Leonardo being crushed by an avalanche, she nursed him through his illness, and they fell in love with each other. He started for Mantua, but was detained for two years captive by a gang of thieves; and Mariana followed him, being unable to support life where he was not. In Mantua, Count Florio fell in love with her, and obtained her guardian’s consent to their union; but Mariana refused, was summoned before the duke (Ferrado), and judgment was given against her. Leonardo, being present at the trial, now threw off his disguise, and was acknowledged to be the real duke. He assumed his rank, married Mariana; but being called to the camp, left Ferrado regent. Ferrado, being a villain, laid a cunning scheme to prove Mariana guilty of adultery with Julian St. Pierre, a countryman; but Leonardo refused to believe the charge. Julian, who turned out to be Mariana’s brother, exposed the whole plot of Ferrado, and amply cleared his sister of the slightest taint or thought of a revolt.—S. Knowles, The Wife (1833).
Mariana, daughter of the king of Thessaly. She was beloved by Sir Alexander, one of the three sons of St. George, the patron saint of England. Sir Alexander married her, and became king of Thessaly.—R. Johnson, The Seven Champions of Christendom, iii. 2, 3, 11 (1617).
Mariana in the Moated Grange, a young damsel who sits in the moated grange, looking out for her lover, who never comes; and the burden of her life-song is, My life is dreary, for he cometh not; I am aweary, and would that I were dead.
The sequel is called Mariana in the South, in which the love-lorn maiden looks forward to her death, when she will cease to be alone, to live forgotten, and to love forlorn.—Tennyson, Mariana (in two parts).