 the history of cardenio, often referred to as merely cardenio, is a lost play, known to have been performed by the king's men, a london theatre company, in 1613.chambers, e. k. the elizabethan stage. 4 volumes, oxford, clarendon press, 1923. vol 2, page 17. the play is attributed to william shakespeare and john fletcher in a stationers' register entry of 1653. the content of the play is not known, but it was likely to have been based on an episode in miguel de cervantes' don quixote involving the character cardenio, a young man who has been driven mad and lives in the sierra morena. thomas shelton's translation of the first part of don quixote was published in 1612, and would thus have been available to the presumed authors of the play. two existing plays have been put forward as being related to the lost play. also, a song, "woods, rocks and mountains", set to music by robert johnson, has been linked to it.richard wilson, secret shakespeare: studies in theatre, religion and resistance, manchester university press 2004 (p.233 on google books). this source refers to michael wood's claims regarding shakespeare's authorship of "woods, rocks, and mountains". ==cardenio in don quixote== in the novel, don quixote, the character cardenio is first encountered by don quixote and sancho wandering in the desolate mountains of sierra morena. he at first avoids the knight and sancho, appearing as a long-haired, half-clothed, and long-bearded hermit (the two refer to him as "the ragged one") leaping over crevices and hiding in trees. the knight finds cardenio's notebook, full of poetry and letters reprimanding a lover who has scorned him, and resolves to find the owner and bring about justice for him. they manage to hail cardenio, and entreat him to tell his story. cardenio was born to a wealthy family in andalucia. he fell in love with luscinda, daughter of another noble family at a young age, and grows up with her until they reach maturity and her father gently suggests that for the two to continue their public rapport would invite scandal. comparing their love to that of pyramus and thisbe, the two frequently exchange letters, and cardenio writes verses to her. cardenio asks luscinda's father for her hand in marriage, to which her father kindly suggests cardenio follow custom and have his father ask permission. cardenio agrees, but when he approaches his father, he is given a letter from the duke ricardo, asking for his immediate services as companion 
1613_plays English_Renaissance_plays Lost_plays Plays_by_John_Fletcher_(playwright) Shakespeare_Apocrypha Works_based_on_Don_Quixote