Adam Erskine, Commendator of Cambuskenneth, was a Scottish landowner and courtier.
He was a son of Thomas Erskine, a younger son ofJohn Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine. His father's wife wasMargaret Fleming, later Countess of Atholl. He was made Commendator ofCambuskenneth Abbey in 1562.
In 1559 he bought a house in Stirling near the castle now known asArgyll's Lodging from a merchant John Traill. Erskine converted the dwelling into an L-shapedtower house of four floors. In 1604 Erskine sold the house to a relative.[1]
Adam Erskine was a supporter ofRegent Morton during the minority ofJames VI of Scotland.[2] He gave the young king, who lived atStirling Castle with his auntAnnabell Murray, Countess of Mar, a hunting book,Jean de Clamorgan's,La Chasse du Loup (Paris, 1574).[3]
In April 1578 he oustedAlexander Erskine of Gogar from his post as keeper ofStirling Castle. The events were described by the English diplomatRobert Bowes. Adam Erskine had persuaded his cousin, Alexander's nephew, theyoung Earl of Mar that he should be the guardian ofJames VI. Adam Erskine andDavid Erskine, Commendator of Dryburgh, and the Earl of Mar, who were all lodged in Stirling Castle assembled at the castle gate early on Sunday morning, 27 April 1578, pretending to go out to join a hunt. The two Commendators met Alexander Erskine, who held the castle keys, and began to argue with him over the guardianship of the King.
Alexander Erskine seized ahalberd and called his servants. There was a brief struggle, and then Alexander Erskine and the Commendators went into the Great Hall to discuss the matter. TheEarl of Argyll was also present with his followers, and was prepared to fight, but eventually they decided to yield to the Earl of Mar. During the struggle at the castle gate, Gogar's eldest son was fatally injured and a servant called Buchanan was hurt. The young king was said to have torn his hair in distress during the incident, fearing that his friend Alexander Erskine was killed.[4]
Adam Erskine wrote from Stirling Castle toJohn Erskine ofDun on 10 May 1579, asking him to come to Stirling for an inquest into the suspicious death of theEarl of Atholl.[5]
Erskine was an active supporter of theGowrie Regime in 1583. James VI was captured by theEarl of Gowrie atRuthven Castle, separated from his favourites, and coerced for several months into a pro-English andReforming policy.[6]
After the Gowrie Regime collapsed, Adam Erskine's properties were forfeited. A house in Stirling was given to the artillery manArchibald Gardiner, a gunner atEdinburgh Castle. This property was between the house of theEarl of Argyll and the house of the king's embroiderer,William Betoun.[7] A pension from Cambuskenneth lands which he had given to one of his daughters was transferred to John Bog, the porter ofHolyrood Palace.[8]
Erskine was banished.[9] In December 1583 he was atBerwick-upon-Tweed withRobert Colville ofCleish and they refused to accept terms of rehabilitation.Alexander Hay wrote to theLady of Lochleven hoping she could help persuade them to accept the king's conditions.[10] He was in Newcastle in February 1584 and intended to travel to London.[11]
He soon returned to favour and was the Collector-General of the thirds of benefices. These wereteinds or tithes, paid in cash or produce which were intended to contribute to the stipends of ministers of the church and the expenses of the royal household. A letter from August 1584 describes him pressing an agent of theLaird of Barnbarroch for payment.[12]
He attended thecoronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590.[13] In January 1594 he joined thePrivy Council. In May 1594, while the Earl of Mar was in Edinburgh, Adam Erskine, the Commendator of Dryburgh, and William Erskine, Bishop of Glasgow were appointed custodians ofPrince Henry at Stirling.[14]
The English diplomatGeorge Nicholson came to Stirling Castle in June 1595 and spoke to theEarl of Argyll, Mar, his mother Annabell Murray, and Adam Erskine, who he called an Abbot.[15]
Adam Erskine died some time before 1608.[16]
Adam Erskine married Margaret Drummond, a daughter ofRobert Drummond of Carnock and Agnes or Margaret Kirkcaldy, a sister ofWilliam Kirkcaldy of Grange. Their children included two daughters: