Adam of Dryburgh facts for kids

Adam of Dryburgh (born around 1140 – died around 1212) was a smart writer and monk. He came from the border area between England and Scotland. People also knew him as Adam the Carthusian, Adam Anglicus, or Adam Scotus. He was part of two special groups of monks: the Premonstratensians and the Carthusians.

Adam's Early Life and Becoming a Monk

Adam was born around the year 1140. He grew up near the border between England and Scotland. We don't know much about his parents or his early schooling. As a young man, he chose to become a monk instead of a regular church leader.

He joined the Premonstratensian monks at Dryburgh Abbey. In 1165, when he was 25 years old, he became a priest there. He worked under two abbots, Roger and Gerard, who were leaders of the abbey.

Adam Becomes an Abbot

In 1184, Adam himself became the abbot of Dryburgh Abbey. It's not totally clear if he was the main abbot or just helping out. The previous abbot, Gerard, might have been sick. Adam didn't want to be officially blessed as abbot while Gerard was still alive.

Adam was called to Prémontré in France. This was where the head of his monk order lived. While in France, Adam visited a Carthusian monastery called Val St Pierre. He was very impressed by it.

A New Path: Becoming a Carthusian

Adam decided he wanted to become a Carthusian monk. He gave up his role as abbot at Dryburgh. He was following in the footsteps of Abbot Roger, the first leader of Dryburgh Abbey, who had also joined Val St Pierre earlier.

Adam returned to Britain and met with Hugh of Lincoln. Hugh was an important Carthusian leader and later became a saint. After talking with Hugh, Adam joined Hugh's old monastery at Witham Friary in Somerset.

The Premonstratensian monks tried to get Adam to come back. But Bishop Hugh helped Adam get a special letter. This letter allowed Adam to stay with the Carthusians. Adam lived at Witham until he died, probably around 1212. He was known for being cheerful, a good preacher, and having a great memory.

Adam's Writings

Adam was a very busy writer. He wrote many sermons and other religious books. Some of his most famous works include:

• De tripartito tabernaculo: He wrote this at Dryburgh in 1180.
• Liber de quadripartito exercitio cellae (which means 'The fourfold exercise of the cell'): He wrote this at Witham around 1190. For a long time, people thought someone else wrote it.
• Liber de ordine, habitu et professione canonicorum ordinis Praemonstratensis
• More than 60 of his sermons are still around today.

His writings were first printed in Paris in 1518. However, there isn't a new, complete collection of his works for scholars today.

In the 1500s, a churchman named John Bale thought there was another writer named Adam the Carthusian. Bale believed this other Adam lived around 1340. But now we know that this separate Adam the Carthusian never existed. All those works were written by other people.

See also

In Spanish: Adamus Scotus para niños

• Abbot of Dryburgh
• Dryburgh Abbey
• Witham Friary