Spanish Fryar (The), a drama by Dryden (1680). It contains two plots, wholly independent of each other. The serious element is this: Leonora, the usurping queen of Aragon, is promised in marriage to Duke Bertran, a prince of the blood; but is in love with Torrismond, general of the army, who turns out to be the son and heir of King Sancho, supposed to be dead. Sancho is restored to his throne, and Leonora marries Torrismond. The comic element is the illicit love of Colonel Lorenzo for Elvīra, the wife of Gomez, a rich old banker. Dominick (the Spanish fryar) helps on this scandalous amour, but it turns out that Lorenzo and Elvira are brother and sister.
Spanish Lady (The), a ballad contained in Percy’s Reliques, ii. 23. A Spanish lady fell in love with Captain Popham, whose prisoner she was. A command being sent to set all the prisoners free, the lady prayed the gallant captain to make her his wife. The Englishman replied that he could not do so, as he was married already. On hearing this the Spanish lady gave him a chain of gold and a pearl bracelet to take to his wife, and told him that she should retire to a nunnery and spend the rest of her life praying for their happiness.
It will be stuck up with the ballad of Margaret’s Ghost [q.v.] and the Spanish Lady, against the walls of every cottage in the country.--Isaac Bickerstaff, Love in a Village (1763).
Spanish Tragedy (The), by T. Kyd (1597). Horatio (son of Hieronimo) is murdered while he is sitting in an arbor with Belimperia. Balthazar, the rival of Horatio, commits the murder, assisted by Belimperia’s brother, Lorenzo. The murderers hang the dead body on a tree in the garden, where Hieronimo, roused by the cries of Belimperia, discovers it, and goes raving mad.
Spanker (Lady Gay), in London Assurance, by D. Boucicault (1841).
Dazzle and Lady Gay Spanker “act themselves,” and will never be dropped out of the list of acting plays.--Percy Fitzgerald.
Sparabel´la, a shepherdess, in love with D’Urfey, but D’Urfey loves Clum´silis, “the fairest shepherd wooed the foulest lass.” Sparabella resolves to kill herself; but how? Shall she cut her windpipe with a penknife? “No,” she says, “squeaking pigs die so.” Shall she suspend herself to a tree? “No,” she says, “dogs die in that fashion.” Shall she drown herself in a pool? “No,” she says, “scolding queans die so.” And while in doubt how to kill herself, the sun goes down, and
The prudent maiden deemed it then too late,
And till to-morrow came deferred her fate.
Gay, Pastoral, iii. (1714).