Céspedes y Meneses, Gonzalo de

▪ Spanish writer

born 1585?, Madrid, Spain

died 1638, Madrid

      Spanish writer of histories and short stories.

      Céspedes is best known for his early work, the romance Poema trágico del español Gerardo, y desengaño del amor lascivo (1615–17), translated (1622) by Leonard Digges as Gerardo the Unfortunate Spaniard, or a Pattern for Lascivious Lovers. It was drawn upon by John Fletcher for two plays, The Spanish Curate (1622; with Philip Massinger) and The Maid in the Mill (1623; with William Rowley).

      Céspedes ran into political difficulties upon the publication of his Historia apologética en los sucessos del reyno de Aragón y su ciudad de Zaragoza, años de 1591 a 1592 (1622; “Apologetic History on the Advent of the Kingdom of Aragon and Its City of Zaragoza, Years from 1591 to 1592”); it was confiscated, and Céspedes moved to Zaragoza and later to Lisbon. While in exile, he published Historias peregrinas y ejemplares (1623; “Stories Foreign and Exemplary”), short stories that, like those of Poema trágico, show considerable imagination and insight into character, despite an affected style; and the first part of an Historia de Felipe III (1631; “History of Philip III”), a fulsome eulogy for which he was rewarded with the post of official historiographer to the Spanish king.

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