William Alexander was born in 1567 in Menstrie, Scotland. William was the son of Alexander Alexander, Baron of Menstrie, and Marion Contee. William was the only son and heir of his father. His early years were spent in the parish of Logie, but following his father's death, he was brought up in Stirling by a grand uncle there. The uncle was a merchant. He was educated at the universities of Glasgow and Leiden and became tutor to the Earl of Argyle. He accompanied the Earl of Argyle on a European tour and there was able to learn some French and Italian.

He joined the court of James VI as a tutor to Prince Henry where he was a prominent poet in the Court. He was a part of a group of poets known as the Castilian Band. Following the Union of the Crowns in 1603 in which James VI of Scotland became James I of England, Alexander followed James I to London, which made him very unpopular in Scotland. In 1590 he married Janet Erskine.

William, an intimate friend of Alexander Hume and later, Drummond of Hawthornden, had literary aspirations and in 1600 published "A Short Discourse" on the Gowrie Conspiracy. His later publications included: tragedies and poetry as well as The Psalms of King David, translated into metre by his late Majesty James I, but mostly by William.

In 1609 he was knighted and in 1621 he was granted the plantation of Nova Scotia as well as being made Viscount of Canada. In 1626, he was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1630 he was made Viscount Stirling and in 1633 he was appointed Earl of Stirling.

William and two others were granted the right of working the silver mine at Hilderston, Lithgow in 1613. In 1614 King James I made him Master of Requests and he was a member of Parliament as such until his death. In 1617 he became Burgess of Edinburgh and in 1621 Lord of the Articles. He attended the Golden Jubilee in Rome in 1624-5 while on the King's special service.

Though having received a grant for Nova Scotia in 1621, it was not until the reign of Charles I, In 1629 that William Alexander's son, William, brought 70 settlers to Port Royal in Nova Scotia (New Scotland) and built Charles Fort. William's son also attempted to settle Port Beleine but this settlement lasted a mere three months. Reluctance on behalf of the Scots to leave Scotland and financial problems as well as the presence of French in the territory led to the downfall of William Alexander's attempts to colonize Nova Scotia. In 1629 William received lands in Largs in the county of Ayr, where he built a trading post for his lands in the new world. In 1632, the land was surrendered to the French under the Treaty of St.Germain-en-Laye in spite of William's grant. The Scots left. It was the beginning of financial decline for William and his wife. William, however continued to sell lands in Nova Scotia until 1638 with the monies received promised to his creditors. Though in 1631, William had received a note in the amount of 10,000 pounds from the exechequer, the funds were never paid. Though William himself never came to the new world, he is credited with giving Nova Scotia their name, flag and coat of arms.

He was made Principal Secretary in Scotland in 1627, a position he held until his death. He was also appointed Commissioner for Surrenders and Teinds and placed in charge of the discovery of Papists. In 1630 he was made Viscount of Stirling and Lord of Tullibody. In 1633 he received the honor of becoming the Earl of Stirling in conjunction with the coronation of Charles I. Also in 1633, he became Councillor for New England and in 1634 was created Commissioner for Foreign Plantations. In 1639 he accompanied the King to the north for the "First Bishop's War" and there he signed the Treaty of Berwick.

Despite his political achievements, his last years were filled with financial ruin and he died in poverty in 1640 at his home in Covent Garden. He was buried at Bowie's Aisle in Stirling on 12 April 1640. William was succeeded by his eldest son and heir, William.

Aurora

O HAPPY Tithon! if thou know'st thy hap,
And valuest thy wealth, as I my want,
Then need'st thou not--which ah! I grieve to grant--
Repine at Jove, lull'd in his leman's lap:
That golden shower in which he did repose--
One dewy drop it stains
Which thy Aurora rains
Upon the rural plains,
When from thy bed she passionately goes.

Then, waken'd with the music of the merles,
She not remembers Memnon when she mourns:
That faithful flame which in her bosom burns
From crystal conduits throws those liquid pearls:
Sad from thy sight so soon to be removed,
She so her grief delates.
--O favour'd by the fates
Above the happiest states,
Who art of one so worthy well-beloved!

Madrigal

When in her face mine eyes I fix,
A fearful boldness takes my mind;
Sweet honey love with gall doth mix,
And is unjustly kind. It seems to breed,
And is indeed A special pleasure to be pined.
No danger then I dread:
For though I went a thousand times to Styx,
I know she can revive me with her eye,
As many looks, as many lives to me;
And yet, had I a thousand hearts,
As many looks, as many darts,
Might make them all to die.

Menstrie Castle