MONTGOMERY, ALEXANDER, an old Scottish poet, who flourished in the reign of James VI. The little that is known about his life is involved in doubt. His nickname of "The Highland Knight," which is mentioned by Dempster, seems to indicate his descent, and at the same time confirms, to a certain extent, the generally-received opinion that he was brought up in Argyllshire. He is supposed to have been an officer in the guard of the Regent Morton, a circumstance that may account for his ordinary title of "Captain Alexander Montgomery." His fame as a poet appears to have been great among his contemporaries. James VI. quoted some of his poems in a work entitled Reveles and Cautelis; and bestowed upon him a pension of 500 merks. But this latter expression of royal favour afterwards led Montgomery into a tedious lawsuit, which
brought in its train several other evils. His life was thus embittered, and his poetry assumed a tone of complaint and of severe satire against judges and lawyers. His principal work, the allegorical poem of The Cherry and the Slae, was published in 1607. Between this date and 1611 the poet is said to have died. Montgomery's entire works were published at Edinburgh in 1822, under the superintendence of Mr David Laing, and with a biographical preface by Dr Irving. His chief characteristics as a poet are a vigorous and lively fancy, a love for rural objects, and a power of versification beyond most of his contemporaries.