Chapter FERDINAND to Fiction of F by Brewer's Readers Handbook

FERDINAND to Fiction

FERDINAND, king of Navarre. He agreed with three young lords to spend three years in severe study, during which time no woman was to approach his court; but no sooner was the agreement made than he fell in love with the princess of France. In consequence of the death of her father, the lady deferred the marriage for twelve months and a day.

… the sole inheritor
Of all perfections that a man may owe [own],
Matchless Navarre.
   —Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594).

Ferdinand, son of Alonso king of Naples. He falls in love with Miranda, daughter of Prospero the exiled duke of Milan.—Shakespeare: The Tempest (1609).

Haply so
Miranda’s hope had pictured Ferdinand
Long ere the gaunt wave tossed him on the shore.
   —Lowell.

Ferdinand, a fiery young Spaniard, in love with Leonora.—Jephson: Two Strings to your Bow (1792).

Ferdinand (Don), the son of don Jerome of Seville, in love with Clara d’Almanza, daughter of don Guzman.—Sheridan: The Duenna (1773).

Ferdinando, a brave soldier, who, having won the battle of Tarifa, in 1340, was created count of Zamora and marquis of Montreal. (See Favorita for the sequel.)—Donizetti: La Favorita (1842).

Fergus, fourth son of Fingal, and the only one that had issue at the death of his father. Ossian, the eldest brother, had a son named Oscar, but Oscar was slain at a feast by Cairbar “lord of Atha;” and of the other two brothers, Fillan was slain before he had married, and Ryno, though married, died without issue.

According to tradition, Fergus (son of Fingal) was the father of Congal; Congal of Arcath; and Arcath of Fergus II., with whom begins the real history of the Scots.—Ossian.

Fergus, son of Rossa, a brave hero in the army of Cuthullin general of the Irish tribes.

Fergus, first in our joy at the feast; son of Rossa; arm of death.—Ossian: Fingal, i.

N.B.—Fergus is another form of Ferragus or Ferracute (q.v.).

Fern (Fanny), the pseudonym of Sarah Payson Willis, afterwards Eldredge, afterwards Farmington, afterwards Parton, sister of N. P. Willis, an American (1811–1872).

Fern (Will), a poor fellow, who takes charge of his brother’s child, and is both honest and kind; but, alas! he dared to fall asleep in a shed, an offence which, alderman Cute maintained, must be “put down.”—Dickens: The Chimes, third quarter (1844).

FERNANDO, son of John of Procida, and husband of Isoline daughter of the French governor of Messi’na. The butchery of the Sicilian Vespers occurred the night after their espousals. Fernando was among the slain, and Isoline died of a broken heart.—Knowles: John of Procida (1840).

Fernando (Don), youngest son of the duke Ricardo. Gay, handsome, generous, and polite; but faithless to his friend Cardenio, for, contrary to the lady’s inclination, and in violation of every principle of honour, he prevailed on Lucinda’s father to break off the betrothal between his daughter and Cardenio, and to bestow the lady on himself. (For the rest, see Cardenio.)—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. iv. (1605).

Fernando, a Venetian captain, servant to Annophel (daughter of the governor of Candy).—Beaumont and Fletcher: The Laws of Candy (1647).