ANDREINI, FRANCESCO, Italian actor, was born at Pistoia in
the last half of the 16th century. He was a member of the
company of the Gelosi which Henry IV. summoned to Paris
to please his bride, the young queen Marie de' Medici. His
wife ISABELLA ANDREINI (1562-1604) was a member of her
husband's company, distinguished alike for her acting and
her character,--commemorated in the medal struck at Lyons
in the year of her death, with her portrait on one side, and
the figure of Fame on the reverse with the words aeterna
fama. She was also known in literature, her books including
a pastoral, Mirtilla (Verona, 1588), a volume of songs,
sonnets and other poems (Milan, 1601), and a collection of
letters, published after her death. She inspired many of the
French poets, notably Isaac du Ryer (d. c. 1631). Her son
GIAMBATTISTA ANDREINI (1578-1650) was born in Florence, and
had a great success as a comedian in Paris under the name of
Leylio. He was a favourite with Louis XIII., and also
with the public, especially as the young lover. He left a
number of plays full of extravagant imagination. The best
known are L'Adamo (Milan, 1613), The Penitent Magdalene
(Mantua, 1617), and The Centaur (Paris, 1622). From the
first of these three volumes, which are extremely rare,
Italians have often asserted that Milton, travelling at that
time in their country, took the idea of Paradise Lost.
Initial text from 1911 encyclopedia -- Please update as needed