Neapolitan lawyer, of great learning, who flourished toward the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century. He followed the profession of the law first at Naples, afterwards at Rome; but he devoted all the time he could spare to the study of polite literature; and at length he entirely left the bar, that he might lead a more easy and agreeable life with the Muses. The particulars of his life are to be gathered from his work entitled "Dies Genialis." We are there informed, that he lodged at Rome, in a house that was haunted; and he relates many surprising particulars about the ghost. He says also, that when he was very young, he went to the lectures of Philo plus, who explained at Rome the Tufelian questions of Cicero; he was there also when Nicholas Perot and Domitius Calderinus read their lectures upon Martial. The particular time when he died is not known; but he was buried in the monastery of the Olivets. Tiraquena wrote a learned commentary upon his work, which was printed at Lyons in 1587, and reprinted at Leyden, in 1673, with the notes of Dennis Godfrey, Christopher Colerus, and Nicholas Mercerus.

Alexander, Neckham, an eminent English writer in the 12th and 13th centuries, born at St Albans in Hertfordshire. In 1215 he was made abbot of Exeter, and died in 1227. He wrote several works, which were never published; but they are to be found in manuscript in the libraries of England and other countries.

Alexander, Noel, an indefatigable writer of the 17th century, born at Rouen in Normandy, 1639. After finishing his studies at Rouen, he entered into the order of Dominican friars, and was professed there in 1655. Soon after he went to Paris, to go through a course of philosophy and divinity in the great convent, where he distinguished himself so, that he was appointed to teach philosophy there, which he did for 12 years. M. Colbert showed him many marks of his esteem; and being determined to omit nothing to perfect the education of his son, afterwards archbishop of Rouen, he formed an assembly of the most learned persons, whose conferences upon ecclesiastical history might be of advantage to him. Father Alexander was invited to this assembly, where he exerted himself with so much genius and ability, that he gained the particular friendship of young Colbert, who showed him the utmost regard as long as he lived. These conferences gave rise to Alexander's design of writing an ecclesiastical history; for, being desired to reduce what was material in these conferences to writing, he did it with so much accuracy, that the learned men who composed this assembly, advised him to undertake a complete body of church history. This he executed with great assiduity, collecting and digesting the materials himself, and writing even the tables with his own hand. He at last completed his work in 1686. Towards the latter part of his life, he was afflicted with the loss of his sight; a most inexplicable misfortune to one whose whole pleasure was in study, yet he bore it with great patience and resignation. He died merely of a decay of nature, 1724, in the 86th year of his age.

Alexander Severus, emperor of Rome, succeeded Helogabalus about A.D. 222, when but 16 years of age. His mother's name was Mammacea, and by her advice he in a great measure regulated his conduct. He applied himself to the reformation of abuses, the state having been greatly disordered by the vicious conduct of his predecessor; he was a most strict lover of justice, an encourager of learning and learned men, and favourable to the Christians. He made a successful expedition against the Persians; but endeavouring to reform his troops, who had grown very licentious under the late bad government, they murdered him at the instigation of Maximinus, in the 29th year of his age, together with his mother, A.D. 235.

Alexander VI. Pope, had four bastard children when he was cardinal, for one of whom he had so great affection, that he flung at nothing to raise him. Deeming to poison some cardinals, he was poisoned himself, A.D. 1503. See Borgia.

Alexander VII. Pope. See Chigi.

Alexander, bishop of Lincoln, in the reigns of Henry I. and Stephen, was a Norman by birth, and nephew Alexander, phew of the famous Roger, bishop of Salisbury, who first made him archdeacon of Salisbury, and afterwards, by his intercess with the king, raised him to the mitre. Alexander was consecrated at Canterbury, July 22, 1123. Having received his education under his uncle the bishop of Salisbury, and been accustomed to a splendid way of living, he affected show and state more than was suitable to his character, or consistent with his fortunes. This failing excepted, he was a man worthy of honour, and every way qualified for his station. The year after his consecration, his cathedral church at Lincoln having been accidentally burnt down, he rebuilt it, and secured it against the like accident for the future by a stone roof. This prelate increased the number of prebends in his church, and augmented its revenues with several manors and estates. In imitation of the barons, and some of the bishops, particularly his uncle the bishop of Salisbury, he built three castles; one at Banbury, another at Sleaford, and a third at Newark. He likewise founded two monasteries; one at Haverholme, for regular canons and nuns together, the other at Tame for white friars. He went twice to Rome in the years 1142 and 1144. The first time he came back in quality of the pope's legate, for the calling a synod, in which he published several wholesome and necessary canons. In August 1147, he took a third journey to the pope, who was then in France; where he fell sick through the excessive heat of the weather, and returned with great difficulty to England, where he died, in the 24th year of his prelacy.

Alexander, William, earl of Stirling, an eminent Scots statesman and poet in the reigns of James VI. and Charles I., who, after travelling with the duke of Argyle as his tutor or companion, wrote a poetical complaint of his unsuccessful love of some beauty, under the title of Aurora. He then removed to the court of James VI., where he applied to the more solid parts of poetry, forming himself upon the plan of the Greek and Roman tragedians. In 1607, he published some dramatic performances, entitled The Monarchic Tragedies, dedicated to King James; who was so well pleased with them, as to call him his philosophical poet. After this, he is said to have written A Supplement to complete the third part of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia; and in 1613, he produced a poem called Doomsday, or the Great Day of Judgment. He was made gentleman usher to Prince Charles, and master of the requests; was knighted; and obtained a grant of Nova Scotia, where he projected the settlement of a colony, but afterwards sold it to the French. In 1626, he was made secretary of state for Scotland; was created first viscount, and then earl, of Stirling; and died in 1640.

Alexander I., St., whom St. Irenaeus reckons the fifth bishop of Rome, succeeded St. Evaristus in the year 109, and died in the year 119. There is no account of his life; and the epistles which are attributed to him are supposititious.

Alexander II., king of Scotland, succeeded his father William in 1213, at 16 years of age. He made an expedition into England, to oppose the tyranny of King John; who returned the visit, and was offered battle by Alexander, but refused it. He took the city of Carlisle from Henry III., which was afterwards exchanged for Berwick. Alexander died in 1249, in the 51st year of his age, and 35th of his reign; and left for his successor, his son—

Alexander III., who was crowned king of Scotland in 1249. The Cummings, a powerful family, took arms against him; and taking him prisoner, confined him at Stirling; but he was afterwards released by his subjects. He married the daughter of Henry III., king of England; and was at length killed by a fall from his horse, on the 10th of April 1290, after having reigned 42, or according to others 37, years.