Alexander Barclay, the first English writer to describe his work as satire, was born in about 1476.

His place of birth is matter of dispute, but William Bulleyn, who was a native of Ely, and probably knew him when he was in the monastery there, asserts that he was born "beyonde the cold river of Twede" (River Tweed, i.e. in Scotland).

His early life was spent at Croydon, but it is not certain whether he was educated at Oxford or Cambridge.

It may be presumed that he took his degree, as he uses the title of "Syr" in his translation of Sallust's Bellum Jugurthinum, and in his will he is called Doctor of Divinity.

From the numerous incidental references in his works, and from his knowledge of European literature, it may be inferred that he spent some time abroad.

Thomas Cornish, suffragan bishop in the diocese of Bath and Wells, and provost of Oriel College, Oxford, from 1493 to 1507, appointed him chaplain of the college of Ottery St Mary, Devon.

Here he writes his satirical poem, The Shyp of Folys of the Worlde, partly a translation from Sebastian Brant.