LINDSAY, or LYND(E)SAY, Sir DAVID (e.1490-1555). The most popular of the early Scotch poets. He seems to have been horn at Garmylton. He studied at the University of Saint. Andrews about, 1505-08. and seems to have attached himself at once to the Scottish Court as equerry (1508). In 1511 he took part in a play before James IV. and Margaret Tudor at Holyrood. He became an usher to Prince James, afterwards James V. of Scotland, an office which he held till 1522. In this year he married .Janet Douglas, described as the King's seamstress, About 1528 dames V. appointed him Lyon king-of-arms (chief Court herald), in which capacity lie was sent on several diplo matic missions. Ile died before April IS, 1555. The earliest of his poems. The Diem( (about 1528), is an allegory written in the seven-line stanza of Chaucer. The poet is conducted by Dame Remembrance through earth to ltd1 and purgatory. hack to the earth. and finally to heaven. The vision closes with an account of the dreadful state of Scorland—the robbery and op pression in the Highlands and on the horders. This poem was soon followed by The Testament ('omplaynt of our Soyerane Lonlis Papyngo (1530), a satire on the Court, prelates. and nobles, and by the King's Flyting (1536?), an audacious rebuke of the King's lieentiousness. For the feast of Epiphany, January 6, 1540, Lindsay wrote his famous morality play, ;Inc Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis, in which he de nounced with especial severity the clergy. A
year or two before his death he completed a long poem 6333 lines) called The 110 72 ft rehie, which gives an account of the rise and fall of Assyria, Persia. Greece, and Rome, closing with a prophecy of the fall of the fifth world-monarchy, the Church of Rome. Other poems are: The Com p/at/at of Bagsehr, the Kingis mild !Ionia!, to Baletie, the Kingis best belorit Dog. and his puuions, a satire on the Court ; The Ilistorie and Testament of Squyer m, a metrical ro mance, having as a hero a contemporary Scotch laird; li Mir's Confessions. aimed at the confes sional: and -Inc Des•ription of Peder Coffer, an exposure of peddlers' tricks. For a century Lind say's satires, abounding in humor and proverbial philosophy, were read throughout Scotland. They seem to have lost their popularity chiefly he cause the language in which they were written became unintelligible to all except scholars. In furthering the Reformation in Scotland they played a part hardly second to the sermons of John linos. The Thrie EstaitiR occupies a Con siderable. place in the development of the drama. Consult his Poetical Works, cal. by Laing 12 vols.. Edinburgh. 1579) : and Works. ed. for Early English Text Society (5 parts, London, 1865-71).