Portuguese playwright and poet. Considered the chief dramatist of Portugal he is sometimes called the "Portuguese Plautus," often referred to as the "Father of Portuguese drama" and as one of Western literature's greatest playwrights. Also noted as a lyric poet, Vicente worked in Spanish as much as he worked in Portuguese and is thus, with Juan del Encina, considered joint-father of Spanish drama. Vicente was attached to the courts of the Portuguese kings Manuel I and João III. He rose to prominence as a playwright largely on account of the influence of Queen Dowager Leonor of Viseu, who noticed him as he participated in court dramas and subsequently commissioned him to write his first theatrical work. He may also have been identical to an accomplished goldsmith of the same name at the court of Évora; the goldsmith is mentioned in royal documents from 1509 to 1517 and worked for the widow of King João II, Leonor. He was the creator of the famous Belém Monstrance, and master of rhetoric of King Manuel I. His plays and poetry, written in both Portuguese and Spanish, were a reflection of the changing times during the transition from Middle Ages to Renaissance and created a balance between the former time of rigid mores and hierarchical social structure and the new society in which this order was undermined. While many of Vicente's works were composed to celebrate religious and national festivals or to commemorate events in the life of the royal family, others draw upon popular culture to entertain, and often to critique, Portuguese society of his day. Though some of his works were later suppressed by the Portuguese Inquisition, causing his fame to wane, he is now recognised as one of the principal figures of the Portuguese Renaissance. His first known work, "O Monólogo do vaqueiro" ("Monologue of the Cowherd"), was written in Spanish and acted in the rooms of Maria of Aragon, wife of King Manuel, to celebrate the birth of Prince João (later João III of Portugal). The first performance, recited by the playwright himself, took place on the night of June 8, 1502, in the presence of King Manuel, Queen Maria, Dowager Queen Leonor, and Beatriz of Portugal, mother of King Manuel. Vicente's oeuvre spans the years between 1500 and 1536. Most of his plays were intended for performance at court, where he and the ladies and gentlemen of the court participated in their production. He wrote no fewer than forty-four pieces, ten of which are in Spanish, fourteen in Portuguese, and the remainder in mingled Portuguese and Spanish. His plays may be grouped into four main categories: acts, or devotional plays, comedies tragicomedies, and farces. Like Spain's classical dramas, his plays are often in verse form. In addition, they feature his own musical compositions and well as popular lyrics and melodies of the time. He wrote a number of vilancetes and cantigas ("songs") which were influenced by a palatial style and the themes of the troubadours. Some of his works are profoundly religious, while other are particularly satirical, particularly when commenting upon what Vicente perceived as the corruption of the clergy and the superficial glory of empire which concealed the increasing poverty of Portugal's lower classes. He portrayed Portuguese society of the 16th century with perceptiveness and insight, using many characters inspired by Portuguese social stereotypes of his time. In addition, rustic characters, such as sailors, gypsies, and peasants, are common, as are more fantastical characters such as fairies and demons. Though he commonly referenced popular dialects, Vicente maintained the lyricism of his words. One of his first devotional plays was "Auto da Fé" ("Act of Faith") in 1510. Like a morality play, it explores the journey of the Soul as it travels to the arms of the Mother Church. On its way, it is waylaid by the Devil and led to goodness by an Angel. His magnum opus is considered to be the "Trilogia das Barcas" ("Trilogy of the Ships"), which consists of three plays "Auto da Barca do Inferno" ("Act of the Ship of Hell"), written in 1516; "Auto da Barca do Purgatório" ("Act of the Ship of Purgatory"), written in 1518; and "Auto da Barca da Glória" ("Act of the Ship of Glory"), written in 1519. These plays combine morality narratives with criticism of 16th-century Portuguese society by placing stereotypical characters on a dock to await the arrival of one of the ships which will take them to their eternal destination. The characters are of a variety of social statuses; for example, in "Auto da Barca do Inferno", those awaiting passage include a nobleman, a madam, a corrupt judge and prosecutor, a dissolute friar, a dishonest shoemaker, a hanged man, and a Jew (who would have been considered bound for Hell in Vicente's time). "Farsa de Inês Pereira" ("Farce of Inez Pereira"), originally written as the "Allegory" or "Act of Inez Pereira", is a 1523 play by Portuguese playwright Gil Vicente. It shows the ambitions of the Portuguese bourgeoisie in the early 16th century. The play was written after a challenge against Gil Vicente's talent. The author agreed to write a play after a Portuguese popular saying: "Mais quero um asno que me carregue do que cavalo que me derrube" ("It's better to have a donkey to carry me than a horse to trample me"). The study of Gil Vicente's work is part of the Portuguese public education program and he remains as one of the pinnacles of Portuguese history.