Born about 1525, is supposed to have been the son of Alexander Scott, prebendary of the Chapel Royal of Stirling, whose two sons, John and Alexander, were legitimated 21 November 1549 (Privy Council Register, xxiii. 50). There is no evidence of his having followed any profession, but allusions in his poems establish the fact that much of his time was spent in or near Edinburgh. In a sonnet by Alexander Montgomerie (1556?–1610?), written apparently about 1584, he is spoken of as “Old Scot,” and as then living; he probably died in that year or soon after. He was married, but his wife eloped with a “wantoun man.” Scott’s extant work consists of thirty-six short pieces, the longest numbering a little over two hundred lines. They are preserved only in the Bannatyne manuscript compiled in 1568 (now in the Advocates’ Library, Edinburgh). The earliest poem by Scott to which a date can be assigned is “The Lament of the Maister of Erskyn,” written in 1547. The two most important poems are “A New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary,” which throws much light on the social life and lamentable condition of the people in 1562; and “The Justing at the Drum,” a clever imitation of “Chrystis Kirk on the Grene,” in which the practice of the tournament is ridiculed. The rest of the poems, written in a great variety of measures, are for the most part amatory. A few, in a satirical vein, are very coarse. All are marked by felicity of diction and directness of expression. Scott is called by Pinkerton “the Anacreon of old Scotish poetry.” But among the ancient minor poets of Scotland his place should be below Montgomerie.

  The productions of Scott may be classed with the most elegant Scotish poems of the sixteenth century. They are generally founded on subjects of an amatory kind, and discover no inconsiderable degree of fancy and harmony. His lyric measures are skilfully chosen; and his language, when compared with that of contemporary poets, will be found to possess an uncommon share of terseness and precision.

  Scott wrote several short satires, and some miscellaneous poems, the prevailing amatory character of which has caused him to be called the Scottish Anacreon, though there are many points wanting to complete his resemblance to the Teian bard.

  With the exception of the burlesque poem, “The Justing betwixt Adamson and Sym,” at the Drum, near Dalkeith, and his “Address to Queen Mary,” his original poems are all amatory. The “Justing,” which is in the measure of “Christ’s Kirk on the Green,” though wanting the rude but natural vigour and simple freshness of that racy sketch of rustic recreation, is not devoid of humour, and, in common with all Scott’s poems, exhibits that skill in the art of poesy which is his most distinguishing characteristic; indeed, so great is their artistic perfection, that they convey an impression of elegant insincerity, such as we attach to the character of a gay gallant, or an accomplished man of the world.

  Is one of the very best lyrists we possess previous to the Elizabethan period.