SIR DAVID, a celebrated Scots poet, was descended of an ancient family, and born in the reign of King James IV. at his father's seat, called the Mount, near Cupar, in Fifehire. He was educated at the university of St Andrew's; and, after making the tour of Europe, returned to Scotland in the year 1514. Soon after his arrival, he was appointed gentleman of the bedchamber to the king, and tutor to the young prince, afterwards James V. From the verses prefixed to his dream, we learn that he enjoyed several other honourable employments at court: but, in 1533, he was deprived of all his places, except that of Lyon king at arms, which he held to the time of his death. His disgrace was most probably owing to his invectives against the clergy, which are frequent in all his writings. After the decease of King James V., Sir David became a favourite of the earl of Arran, regent of Scotland; but the abbot of Paisley did not suffer him to continue long in favour with the earl. He then retired to his paternal estate, and spent the remainder of his days in rural tranquillity. He died in the year 1553. His poetical talents, considering the age in which he wrote, were not contemptible; but he treats the Romish clergy with great severity, and writes with some humour: but, whatever merit might be formerly attributed to him, he takes such licentious liberties with words, stretching or carving them for measure or rhyme, that the Scots have a proverb, when they hear an unusual expression, that, There is nae sic a word in a' Davie Lindsay. Mackenzie tells us, that his comedies were so facetious, that they afforded abundance of mirth. Some fragments of these comedies are still preserved in manuscript. He is said to have also written several tragedies, and to have first introduced dramatic poetry into Scotland. One of his comedies was played in 1515. Mackenzie says, he understood nothing of the rules of the theatre. He was cotemporary with John Heywood, the first English dramatic poet. His poems are printed in one small volume; and fragments of his plays, in manuscript, are in Mr William Carmichael's collection.