MSS. it appears that he attended the universities of Glasgow and of Leyden. But the earliest authentically definite information concerning him is that, having gained repute as a scholar, he was selected as travelling companion to Archibald, seventh earl of Argyle, with whom he proceeded to France, Spain, and Italy (Fraser's Argyle Papers, 1834), i.e. the usual tour as set forth later by James Howell in his ‘Instructions for Foreine Travell’ (1642). This pleasant relationship of the humbler scion with the nobler head of the house in all likelihood led to those increased grants by the Argyles which considerably widened ‘the lands of Menstry’ ultimately. The Argyles had a family residence in neighbouring Castle Campbell.
On returning from abroad, the tutor was introduced by the Earl of Argyle to court, and he was appointed tutor to young Prince Henry, son of James VI, at Holyrood. ‘The most learned fool in Europe’ had shrewd if narrow insight into character and capacity and scholarship. He must have been specially pleased by Alexander, who to the latest had no common influence with him.
When James VI of Scotland, in 1603, succeeded Elizabeth, Alexander, though he did not accompany him at the outset, formed one of the invading host of Scots. He was speedily enrolled as one of thirty-two gentlemen-extraordinary of Prince Henry's private chamber (Birch's Life of Henry Prince of Wales, p. 347).
The after-title of his volume, ‘Recreations with the Muses,’ doubtless was meant to intimate that the poet had filled up the intervals of ‘tutoring’ on the continent and of courtly attendance and duty with his poetical studies. His love-sonnets of ‘Avrora’ have been assigned to his ‘travel’ years with Argyle (Works, Introductory Memoir, i. x). He was known as a poet before, and just before, he crossed the border, by his first published poem, ‘The Tragedie of Darius. By William Alexander, of Menstrie. Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Waldegrave, Printer to the Kings Maiestie, 1603,’ 4to. In the address to the reader he thus describes this poem-tragedy: ‘I present to thy favourable viewe and censure the first essay of my rude and unskilfull Muse in a tragicall poem.’ It is dedicated ‘To the most excellent, high and mightie Prince James the 6, King of Scots, my dreade Soveraigne.’
In 1604 there followed another slender quarto, containing a poem of eighty-four stanzas, entitled ‘A Parænesis to the Prince, by William Alexander of Menstrie. London, printed by Richard Field for Edward Blount.’ In the same year he reprinted ‘Darius,’ with another tragedy, ‘Crœsus,’ under the common title of the ‘Monarchicke Tragedies.’ Two things are noticeable in ‘Parænesis’ and these ‘Tragedies.’ First, that, spite of the dedication to the king (enlarged in 1604), ‘Parænesis’ is anything but a panegyric. There is astonishing audacity in it of counsel, and a most articulate assertion that ‘wicked princes’ may be dethroned. Recounting musically the ‘ancient monarchies,’ very early he thus drastically characterises them:—
And in all ages it was ever seene,
What vertue rais'd, by vice hath ruin'd been.
(st. viii.)
The poem is thick-packed with weighty and pungent warnings and counsels, nor is there lacking the poet's grace.
Secondly, the original editions abound in Scottish words and phrases, and a comparison of the London with the Edinburgh texts, earlier and later, is philologically of interest and value. It is to be regretted that the editor of his works (3 vols. 1870) has only perfunctorily recorded ‘Various Readings.’
In 1604—same year with the preceding—appeared ‘Avrora, containing the first fancies of the author's youth.’ Prefixed is an epistle to the Countess of Argyle. ‘Avrora’ inevitably suggests comparisons with Sidney and Spenser, Daniel, and Drayton, and Drummond. These sonnets were not mere fancies, but born of an actual and unsuccessful love; a real passion lies beneath the quaint conceits and occasionally wire-drawn similes. ‘Sonet C’ leaves no doubt that his youthful ‘Avrora’ preferred an aged man to him. The fact that ‘Avrora’ was not included by Alexander in his collected works in 1637 the more suggests autobiographical experiences to have been worked into the ‘fancies.’
At the time of the publication of ‘Aurora’ Alexander had married Janet, only daughter of Sir William Erskine, younger brother of the family of Erskine of Balgonie, and commonly styled ‘parson of Campsie,’ from his holding office as ‘commendator of the bishopric of Glasgow.’ On 8 May 1607 Sir William Erskine received a royal warrant for an exchequer pension of 200l. a year, to be shared with his son-in-law, William Alexander, an annuity of half the amount being made payable to Alexander for life after Erskine's decease (Docquet Book of Exchequer).
There must have been other pecuniary transactions between father-in-law and son-in-law—e.g. Sir William Erskine purchased from the Earl of Argyle the annual duties payable
