The metrical form of certain writings, as already indicated, does not necessarily exclude them from the realm of historical literature. Thus the “poema heroico” by Luis Antonio de Oviedo y Herrera, Conde de la Granja, on _La vida de Santa Rosa de Santa María_ is a bit of history, although in verse. The young woman who is celebrated in Oviedo’s verses was born in Lima in 1586 and died there in 1617. Her father, Gaspar Flores, was a member of the viceregal guard under the viceroy, the Marqués de Cañete. Her mother, a native of Lima, was a daughter of Francisco de Oliva, who was also born in Peru. She was baptized as Isabel, but her mother was accustomed to call her Rosa on account of her beauty. She was generally known by this name during her life, and when she was canonized she became Santa Rosa de Santa María. Her devotion to the Church and her religious zeal, manifesting itself sometimes in a state of nervous exaltation akin to hysteria, made a deep impression on persons who knew of her, and induced the ecclesiastical authorities to proceed to her beatification and canonization. Evidence of the depth of this impression is seen in the fact that Oviedo, Conde de la Granja, an officer of the army, and governor of Potosí, made her the subject of one of his principal poems, in the first octave of which he states his theme: No canto las hazañas, las victorias De varón inmortal, campeón guerrero, Ni de la fama, célebres memorias, Que en bronce y mármol, esculpió el acero; De sagrada heroina canto glorias, Que nació Rosa para ser lucero, Y con humildo corazón profundo, Triunfó de Lucifer, de sí, del mundo. Oviedo’s poem on Santa Rosa consists of twelve cantos, and was published in Madrid in 1711. The form is sufficiently indicated by the foregoing stanza. The author describes the city of Lima and the grandeur of its position in the valley of the Rumac; he presents many events in the conquests of Peru: the idolatry of the Indians; the birth and youth of Santa Rosa; and enumerates her virtues with an extravagance of expression supposed to be consistent with the poetic form. In other cantos the author writes of the city of Quito, the kingdom of the Incas, the expeditions of Drake, Hawkins, and Spilberg, and the means of defence organized by the Peruvians. Among Oviedo’s other writings reference is made to a long poem on the passion of Christ (Lima, 1717) which sets forth various evil passions in society, such as envy, ingratitude, and the spirit of adulation.[137] [Sidenote: Juan del Valle y Caviedes]