The Portuguese dramatist and poet Gil Vicente (ca. 1465-ca. 1536), who wrote in both Portuguese and Spanish, ranks as one of the outstanding figures of the Iberian Renaissance.

Almost nothing is known about the first half of the life of Gil Vicente until his first public appearance as a dramatist in 1502. It is certain he was of humble birth, but his birthplace has been disputed as Lisbon, Barcelos, or Guimarães, with the last the most likely. He was probably apprenticed to Martim Vicente, a close relative and goldsmith, and it was as a goldsmith that Gil attracted the attention of Queen Leonor, who in 1495 was widowed by King John II. Her brother then became King Manuel I. At her request Vicente contributed some verses to one of the famous seroes do paço; they were later collected by Garcia de Resende in his Cancioneiro geral.

The...