refuge in St Andrews Castle, where a so-called "wise woman", Alison Pearson, who was later burned for witchcraft, cured his apparent "serious illness". Excommunication In 1583, Adamson returned to public service by being posted as Scottish ambassador to the Court of St James's of Elizabeth I of England; whilst in London rumours were spread about his bad behaviour. On his return he implemented strong measures in parliament against Presbyterians, and consequently accusations of heresy followed with excommunication at a provincial synod held at St Andrews in April 1586; however at the next General Assembly this verdict was rescinded as being ultra vires. In 1587 and 1588, however, fresh accusations were brought against Adamson, and again he was excommunicated, though afterwards on the inducement of a former adversary, Sir Andrew Melville, his sentence was remitted. Meanwhile, Adamson had produced the Book of Lamentations, and the Book of Revelation in Latin verse which he dedicated to the king, but complained of his harsh treatment. King James was unmoved by Adamson's representations and transferred the episcopal revenues to his new favourite, Ludovic, 2nd Duke of Lennox. After falling from grace, Adamson spent the remaining three years of his life supported by charity. Legacy Adamson possessed many gifts, being learned and eloquent, but also had grave defects of character; however the "Recantation of Episcopacy (1590)" attributed to him is probably spurious. His collected works, prefaced by a favourable panegyric, in the course of which it is said that "he was a miracle of nature, and rather seemed to be the immediate production of God Almighty than born of a woman", were published by his son-in-law, Thomas Wilson, in 1619. An heraldic memorial to Adamson survives at the ancient cathedral of St Andrews. By his wife Elizabeth née Arthur, Adamson had two sons, James and Patrick, and a daughter, Mariota, who married Sir Michael Balfour. His elder brothers, James and Henry, both served as Provost of Perth, and they were fathers of Henry and John Adamson respectively. References Further reading External links History of St Leonards College, St Andrews www.electricscotland.com www.scotlandspast.org www.scottish-places.info www.virtualscotland.co.uk www.lyon-court.com www.AdamsonAncestry.com 1537 births 1592 deaths People from Perth, Scotland Alumni of the University of Glasgow Scottish Roman Catholic priests Alumni of the University of St Andrews People associated with Fife 16th-century Latin-language writers Scottish scholars and academics Scottish religious writers Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians Chancellors of the University of St