LOPEZ DE AYALA, PEDRO (1332-1407). A Spanish author, born in 1332. Ire was of noble origin and held office under Peter the Cruel. Henry 11., John 1., and Henry 11I., becoming Grand Chancellor of the Realm in 1393. Ile was twice made captive by enemies of his country, once by the Black Prince and again at Aljuhar rota (1385), and during this second captivity lie spent fifteen months in an iron cage at Oviedes. Although he was incessantly active in politi cal life. Ayala none the less seems to have found leisure to carry on literary pursuits. In Spanish literature of the fourteenth century he assumes a distinguished place by reason of his historical labors, his translations, and his verse. As a translator he rendered into Cas tilian Guido delle Colonne's Ilistoria Troiana, parts of Livy's work, and Boccaccio's be resi bus Virorum Illustrium. His knowledge of Livy's methods stood him in good stead in his Cronicas de los reyes de Castilla, a work show ing a tendency to avoid legendary accounts, to sift evidence carefully, and to record personal experience. In his long poem, the Rimado de Palacio—a name given to it by others—he in corporates matter of personal experience. The
poem is satirical and didactic. Its earlier part is in the euederne via, the quatrain stanza that was so great a favorite in the thirteenth century didactic and narrative poems; in the second part, the euaderna via structure is broken by the songs, prayers, and laments in various lyric measures, which are scattered here and there throughout. Much interest attaches to the Mould° de Palacio because of the pictures which it gives of the customs of the age. In his lyrics Ayala adopted the Provencal manner. Consult the edition of the llitnado in vol. lvii. of the Bibliote ea de autores espaiioles (Madrid, 1864) ; that of his Crcinieas in Llaguno Amfrola's Cronicas es paiiolas (Madrid, 1879) and in RoseIns C•tioiras de los reyes de Castilla (Madrid. 1875-78): Floranes, l'ida literaria de P. L. dr Ayala, in the Colreeiou de doc-umcntos inedifos, vols. xix. and xx.; M. Menendez y Pelayo. Antologia dr poelas lirieos eastellanos Olndrid, 18))0 vol. iv.); F. Wolf, Studien, etc. (Berlin, 1859).