AYACU`CHO, a thriving town in Peru, founded by Pizarro in 1539, where the Peruvians and Colombians achieved their independence of Spain in 1824, and ended the rule of Spain in the S. American continent.

AYA`LA, PEDRO LOPEZ D’, a Spanish soldier, statesman, and diplomatist, born in Murcia; wrote a “History of the Kings of Castile,” which was more than a chronicle of wars, being also a review of them; and a book of poems entitled the “Rhymes of the Court” (1332-1407).

AYE-AYE, a lemur found in the woods of Madagascar.

AYESHA, the daughter of Abubekr, and favourite wife of Mahomet, whom he married soon after the death of Kadijah; as much devoted to Mahomet as he was to her, for he died in her arms.  “A woman who distinguished herself by all manner of qualities among the Moslems,” who is styled by them the “Mother of the Faithful” (see KADIJAH).  She was, it is said, the only wife of Mahomet that remained a virgin.  On Mahomet’s death she opposed the accession of Ali, who defeated her and took her prisoner, but released her on condition that she should not again interfere in State matters (610-677).

AYLES`BURY (9), a borough and market-town in Buckinghamshire, 40 m.  NW. of London, in an agricultural district; supplies the London market with ducks.

AYLMER, JOHN, tutor to Lady Jane Grey, bishop of London, a highly arbitrary man, and a friend to neither Papist nor Puritan; he is satirised by Spenser in the “Shepherd’s Calendar” (1521-1594).

AYLOFFE, SIR JOSEPH, English antiquary, born in Sussex (1708-1781).

AYMA`RAS, the chief native race of Peru and Bolivia, from which it would appear sprang the Quinchuas, the dominant people of Peru at the time of the Spanish conquest; attained a high degree of civilisation, and number to-day 500,000.

AYMON, THE COUNT OF DORDOGNE, the father of four sons, Renaud, Guiscard, Alard, and Richard, renowned in the legends of chivalry, and particularly as paladins of Charlemagne.

AY`MAR-VER`NAY, a peasant of Dauphine, who in the 17th century professed to discover springs and treasures hid in the earth by means of a divining rod.

AYR (23), the county town of Ayrshire, at the mouth of a river of the same name, a clean, ancient town, its charter, granted by William the Lion, dating from 1200; well built, with elegant villas in the suburbs, a good harbour and docks for shipping; famous in early Scottish history, and doubly so among Scottish towns as the birthplace near it of Robert Burns.

AYR`ER, JACOB, a German dramatist in the 16th century, of the style of HANS SACHS (q. v.).

AYRSHIRE (226), a large and wealthy county in the W. of Scotland, bordered on the W. by the Firth of Clyde, agricultural and pastoral, with a large coal-field and thriving manufactures; its divisions, Carrick, to the S. of the Doon; Kyle, between the Doon and the Irvine, and Cunningham, on the N.; concerning which there is an old rhyme:  “Kyle for a man, Carrick for a coo, Cunningham for butter and cheese, Galloway for ’oo.”