Adam Scotus

Adam Scotus

(Or THE PREMONSTRATENSIAN).

A theologian and Church historian of the latter part of the twelfth century. He was born either in Scotland or England, and joined the newly-founded order of Saint Norbert. It is also believed that he became Abbot and Bishop of Candida Casa, or Whithorn in Scotland, and died after 1180. His works consist of "Sermones" (P. L., CXCVIII, 91-440); "Liber de Ordine, Habitu et Professione Canonicorum Ordinis Prsemonstratensis" (Ibid., CXCVIII, 439-610), a work which is sometimes entitled the "Commentary on the Rule of St. Augustine"; "De Tripartito Tabernaculo" (CXCVIII, 609-792); "De Triplici Genere Contemplationis" (CXCVIII, 791-842); "Soliloquiorum de Instructione animae libri duo" (CXCVIII, 841-872). He was one of the most appreciated mystical authors of the Middle Ages; both in style and matter his works show unusual sweetness and spirituality. He is also known as Adam Anglicus and Anglo-Scotus.

Dict. of Nat. Biogr., s.v.; WRIGHT, Biogr. Brit. Litt. (1846) II, 322; BOURGAIN, La chaire française au XII siècle (Paris, 1879), 135-136; JÉROME;, in Dict. de théol, cath., s.v.

THOMAS WALSH