Encina Juandel

Encina, Juan del (1468-1534), a Spanish dramatist, born at Salamanca or at Encinas. He was educated at Salamanca, and then went to Madrid, where he entered the household of the Duke of Alva. In 1492 he began to write comedies, and in 1496 published some dramatic and lyric poems. He went to Rome, and took orders, and became maestro di capella to Leo X. A farce published by hem in 1514 is lost. In 1519 he went to Jerusalem, and published a verse account of his journey. He soon after returned to Spain, as Prior of Leon, and died at Salamanca. The poems mentioned above are an interesting link between the old Mystery Plays and the later drama.