Alexander Montgomerie
Alexander Montgomerie was a notable Scottish poet of the sixteenth century, born around 1550 in Ayrshire. He had familial ties to King James VI and found favor at the royal court from 1579, contributing to the cultural milieu during a politically charged era. Montgomerie's poetry, including his significant work "The Flyting betwizt Montgomerie and Polwart," showcased his skills in verbal contests akin to rap battles, and he is recognized for his translations of French lyric poetry into English. His sonnets often explored themes of courtly intrigue and romance, reflecting the social dynamics of his time.
As the political landscape shifted towards Protestant dominance following Queen Mary's execution, Montgomerie's position became precarious, leading to a brief imprisonment and subsequent withdrawal to seclusion. His most acclaimed poem, "The Cherrie and the Slaye," is celebrated for its complex allegorical themes and musicality, gaining popularity particularly among lawyers. Following his death in 1598, Montgomerie faced posthumous challenges regarding his burial due to his Catholic faith, but public sentiment led to an exception allowing his interment in Edinburgh. His works, once marginalized, are now valued for their insights into the cultural and political contexts of sixteenth-century Scotland.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Alexander Montgomerie
Poet
- Born: c. 1550
- Birthplace: Ayrshire, Scotland
- Died: 1598
Biography
The life and works of sixteenth century Scottish poet Alexander Montgomerie reflect and illuminate the complex and controversial political environment of his lifetime. Born around 1550 in Ayrshire, Scotland, Montgomerie was a distant relative on his mother’s side of King James VI, at whose court he would enjoy favor during his youth. Montgomerie arrived at James’s court in 1579, when the king was thirteen. Montgomerie’s poetry was associated with the interests of Catholics, such as James’s mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, who was at the time of Montgomerie’s arrival at court imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Among Montgomerie’s poems written during this time as courtly entertainment, of most significance is The Flyting betwizt Montgomerie and Polwart, from around 1580. A “flyting” was a sixteenth century version of the contemporary rap battle: a verbal contest in which poets insult each other in a show of technical display. The contest recounted in the poem marks the beginning of Montgomerie’s favor at court, as both a spoken poet and a lyricist for part-songs. That favor was enhanced by Montgomerie’s familiarity with contemporary French lyric poetry, many examples of which he translated for the first time into English. Several of his translations were sonnets, and he is sometimes considered the earliest Scottish poet to write sonnets.
During his time at court, Montgomerie engaged in commercial and military activities while continuing to write sonnets about court intrigue, especially the romantic, often adulterous, exploits of courtly ladies. By the mid-1580’s, following a period of enforced Protestant morality at the court under the influence of Lord Ruthven, Montgomerie’s status was well established, and his poems provide the most common source of examples for King James’s own 1584 anthology of the best of Scottish poesy.
By the early 1590’s, following the execution of Queen Mary, the Protestants had an unbreakable stronghold at court, and Montgomerie was imprisoned for a short period, after which he withdrew into seclusion in southwest Scotland. His most famous poem, the allegory The Cherrie and the Slaye, appeared in two incomplete—and likely unauthorized—editions in the late 1590’s, finally appearing in an official complete edition in 1615. Darker and more bitter than the unauthorized incomplete versions, the 1615 edition is respected by scholars for the complexity both of its allegory, seen as both psychological and religious, and of its highly musical stanzas. The poem was popular in its day, especially with lawyers, due to its intricate deployment of proverb without sacrificing the sophistication of its argument.
After his death in 1598, Montgomerie was denied burial on consecrated ground because he had not renounced his Catholicism. The affection of his readers resulted in a popular outcry for an exception to the Kirk Assembly, and in August of 1598, he was buried in the presbytery of Edinburgh, against the dictates of the General Assembly. King James, moved by the death of his former favorite, composed the “Epitaph on Montgomerie” in eulogy.
Montgomerie’s poetry, out of scholarly favor for most of the intervening centuries, is presently recognized as providing invaluable insight into court culture and the political climate of sixteenth century Scotland.