The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Henry Adamson (1581 - 1637)

Poet, educator, historian, and chorographer. He was appointed Precentor and singing master of the Sang School (a school for teaching church music) in March 1618 and reader of the Kirk of Perth on 3 May 1620. In 1620 he married Katherine, daughter of William and Helen Buchanan. By March 1626 he had been appointed clerk of the presbytery of Perth. What we know about Adamson derives mostly from James Cant, relying on local oral history for his biographical information, writes that Adamson "was educated for the pulpit, and appears to have been a gentleman of considerable abilities, a good classical scholar, he wrote some Latin poems above mediocrity. His relations were of considerable rank among the citizens of Perth." Having received a manuscript copy of The Muses Threnodie, William Drummond of Hawthornden (in a letter dated 12 July 1637), urged Adamson to publish the work. Adamson died before he could do so, but his brother, John Adamson brought the work into print. Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/142 Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Adamson Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source)
Relevant locations: Residence at Perth, Scotland
Residence at Perth, Perthshire
Subject of discourse or work of art Perth, Scotland
Subject of discourse or work of art Perth, Perthshire
Relationships: Henry Adamson was a son of James Adamson (-fl. 1617)
Henry Adamson was a brother of John Adamson (1576-1653)
Henry Adamson was a son of Margaret Anderson (-)
Henry Adamson was a husband of Katherine Buchanan (-fl. 1620)
Henry Adamson was a friend of James Gall (-c. 1620)
Henry Adamson was a friend of George Ruthven (1546-1638)

Patrick Adamson (1537-1592) was a uncle of Henry Adamson
Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Book Memorabilia of the city of Perth: containing, A guide to Perth; Historical memoranda respecting Perth; charters relating to the privileges of Perth; list of the ministers, and rectors of the grammar school and academy: list of the subscribers for building the bridge, and the public seminaries; and the Rev. Alexander Duff's (late of Tibbermuir) Traditional account, in the town of Perth, of the death of John, Earl of Gowrie, and his brother, Mr. Alexander Ruthven, in 1600. Compiled from the best sources of information; chiefly from Mr Cant's notes to The muse's threnodie of Adamson.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - History of Curling: Scotland's Ain Game and Fifty Years of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - The History of Perth, from the earliest period to the present time. With a Supplement, containing the “Inventory of the Gabions,” and the “Muses Threnodie,” by H. Adamson.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - The Muses Threnodie, or, mirthfull mournings, on the death of Master Gall Containing varietie of pleasant poëticall descriptions, morall instructions, historiall narrations, and divine observations, with the most remarkable antiquities of Scotland, especially at Perth By Mr. H. Adamson..
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - The Muses Threnodie: or Mirthful mournings on the death of Mr. Gall, containing variety of pleasant poetical descriptions, moral instructions, historical narrations, and divine observations, with the most remarkable antiquities of Scotland, especially of Perth.
as Mentioned or referenced by - A History of the Life and Death of John, Earl of Gowrie, With Preliminary Dissertations.
as Mentioned or referenced by - An introduction to the history of poetry in Scotland, from the beginning of the thirteenth century down to the present time; together with a conversation on Scotish song, by Alexander Campbell, ... To which are subjoined, Sangs [sic] of the lowlands of Scotland.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Old Friends: Essays in Epistolary Parody.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Reliquiae Trotcosienses, or, The gabions of the late Jonathan Oldbuck Esq. of Monkbarns.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Sports and Pastimes of Scotland: historically Illustrated.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The Book of Perth: An Illustration of the Moral and Ecclesiastical State of Scotland Before and After the Reformation.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The Muses Threnodie: or Mirthful mournings on the death of Mr. Gall, containing variety of pleasant poetical descriptions, moral instructions, historical narrations, and divine observations, with the most remarkable antiquities of Scotland, especially of Perth.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The Origin and Growth of the Tradition 'Ecce Tiber! Ecce Campus Martius!' as applied to the Tay and the Inches of Perth.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland's Century, 1590-1710.
as Mentions or references - ‘Non Intus Ut Extra’: The Emblematic Silenus in Early Modern Literature.
as Mentions or references - What’s in a Name? Language, Image, and Urban Identity in Early Modern Perth.
as Subject of/in a document - Mr George Ruthven's Cabinet of Curiosities.
References in Documents:
Inventarie of the Gabions, in M. George his Cabinet (1638) Adamson, Henry The muses threnodie, or, mirthfull mournings, on the death of Master <name type="person" rend="italic" ref="544">Gall</name> Containing varietie of pleasant poëticall descriptions, morall instructions, historiall narrations, and divine observations, with the most remarkable antiquities of Scotland, especially at Perth By Mr. <name type="person" rend="italic" ref="540">H. <span class="highlight">Adamson</span></name> Printed at Edinburgh in King Iames College, by George Anderson1638 Second edition.
Inventarie of the Gabions, in M. George his Cabinet (1638) THE MUSES THRENODIE, OR, Mirthfull Mournings, on the death of Master Gall. Containing varietie of pleasant Poëticall descriptions, morall instructions, historicall narrations, and divine observations, with the most remarkable antiquities of Scotland, especially at Perth By Mr. H. ADAMSON. Horat. in Arte. Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci.[*]He has achieved every point who has mixed the useful and the delightful. Printed at Edinburgh in King Iames College, by George Anderson 1638.
Inventarie of the Gabions, in M. George his Cabinet (1638)

To his native town of Perth: The Lord Provest[*]ceremonial civic head, Baillies[*]a civic officer in a Scottish Burgh, and counsel thereof, his worthie patrons, Wishing them all happinesse heere, and hence, dedicateth these his recreations their devoted Servant Mr. Hen. Adamson; Student in Divine, and Humane Learning.

Inventarie of the Gabions, in M. George his Cabinet (1638)
To my worthie Friend, Mr. Hen. Adamson. Sir,

THhese papers of your mournings on Master Gall appeare unto me as Alcibiadis Sileni[*]Proverbial for a thing that on the outside seems worthless of devoid of interest, but when probed further, appears on the inside to be wonderful and valuable. See the opening paragraph of Erasmus's Sileni Alcibiadis, 1515, which ridiculously look, with the faces of Sphinges, Chimeraes, Centaures on their outsides, but inwardlie containe rare artifice, and rich jewels of all sorts, for the delight and well of Man. They may deservedlie beare the word, Non intus ut extra[*]It is not inside as it is outside.. Your two Champions, noble Zannies, discover to us many of the Antiquities of this Countrey more of your auncient towne of Perth, setting downe her situation, founders, her hudge colosse, or bridge, walls, fousies[*]Scots: a fousie is a ditch, aqueducts, fortifications, temples, monasteries, and many other singularities. Happie hath Perth beene in such a Citizen: not so other townes of this kingdome, by want of so diligent a searcher and preserver of their fame from oblivion. Some Muses neither to themselves, nor to others do good; nor delighting, nor instructing; yours performe both: And longer to conceale them, will be to wrong your Perth of her due honours, who deserveth no lesse of you than that she should be thus blazoned, and registrate to posteritie, to defraud your selfe of a monument; which after you have left this transitorie world shall keepe your name and memorie to after times. This shall bee preserved by the Towne of Perth for her owne sake first, and after for yours. For to her it hath beene no little glory that she hath brought forth, such a citizen, so eminent in love to her, and so dear to the Muses.

Edinburgh, Julij 12. 1637. W. D.
Inventarie of the Gabions, in M. George his Cabinet (1638) TO PERTH, ANENT TWO of her Sons, her two Suns, Mr. Henrie Anderson, and Mr. Henrie Adamson, his Nephew. TWoTwo Henries, like two Suns, upon thee rose, The Uncle, and the Nephew, and did close The one à summer, th'other a winter day, Nor longer could on our Horizon stay. With home-bred beames the one on thee did shine, Th'other with rayes brought from the coast Lavine. But herein These excell fair Phœoebes brother, He and his beames do rise, and set together; Their rayes shine most, themselves when under earth, And shall perpetuall splendor give to Perth. So be it ay, upon thee, noble Town, May many such suns rise, & so go down. I. A.