Chapter Florinda to Foedera of F by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Florinda to Foedera

Florinda, daughter of count Julian one of the high lords in the Gothic court of Spain. She was violated by king Roderick; and the count, in his indignation, renounced the Christian religion and ca lled over the Moors, who came to Spain in large numbers and drove Roderick from the throne. Orpas, the renegade archbishop of Seville, asked Florinda to become his bride, but she shuddered at the thought. Roderick, in the guise of a priest, reclaimed count Julian as he was dying, and as Florinda rose from the dead body—

Her cheek was flushed, and in her eyes there beamed A wilder brightness. On the Goth [Roderick] she gazed, While underneath the emotions of that hour Exhausted life gave way. … Round his neck she threw Her arms, and cried, “My Roderick; mine in heaven!” Groaning, he claspt her close, and in that act And agony her happy spirit fled.
   —Southey: Roderick, etc., xxiv. (1814).

Floripes, sister of sir Fierabras [Fe-a-ra-brah], daughter of Laban, and wife of Guy the nephew of Charlemagne.

Florisando (The Exploits and Adventures of), part of the series of Le Roman des Romans, or those pertaining to Amadis of Gaul. This part (from bk. vi. to xiv.) was added by Paez de Ribera.

Florise (The lady), attendant on queen Berengaria.—Sir W. Scott: The Talisman (time, Richard I.).

Florisel of Nicea (The Exploits and Adventures of), part of the series of Le Roman des Romans, pertaining to Amadis of Gaul. This part was added by Felicino de Silva.

Florismart, one of Charlemagne’s paladins, and the bosom friend of Roland.

Florival (Mdlle.), daughter of a French physician in Belleisle. She fell in love with major Belford, while nursing him in her father’s house during a period of sickness. (The tale is given under Emily, p. 323.)—Colman: The Deuce is in Him (1762).

Florizel, son of Polixenês king o f B ohemia. In a hunting expedition, he saw Perdita (the supposed daughter of a shephed), fell in love with her, and courted her under the assumed name of Doriclês. The king tracked his son to the shepherd’s house, and told Perdita that if she gave countenance to this foolery he would order her and the shepherd to be put to death. Florizel and Perdita then fled from Bohemia, and took refuge in Sicily. Being brought to the court of king Leontês, it soon became manifest that Perdita was the king’s daughter. Polixenês, in the mean time, had tracked his son to Sicily, but when he was informed that Perdita was the king’s daughter, his objection to the marriage ceased, and Perdita became the happy bride of prince Florizel.—Shakespeare: The Winter’s Tale (1604).

Florizel, the name assumed by George IV. in his correspondence with Mrs. Robinson (actress and poetess), generally known as Perdita, that being the character in which she first attracted his attention when prince of Wales.

George IV. was nicknamed “prince Florizel.” “Prince Florizel” in lord Beaconsfield’s Endymion (1880) is meant for Napoleon III.

Flower of Chivalry, sir William Douglas, knight of Liddesdale (^*—1353). Sir Philip Sidney, statesman, poet, and soldier, was also called “The Flower of Chivalry” (1554–1586). So was the Chevalier de Bayard, le Chevalier sans Peur et sans Reproche (1476–1524).

Flower of Kings. Arthur is so called by John of Exeter (sixth century).

Flower of Poets, Geoffrey Chaucer (1328–1400).

Flower of the Levant. Zantê is so called from its great beauty and fertility.

Zante! Zante! flor di Levant!.