James Carmichael (1542/3–1628) was the Church of Scotland minister and an author known for a Latin grammar published at Cambridge in September 1587 and for his work revising the Second Book of Discipline and the Acts of Assembly.
From 16 April 1572 to 15 November 1576 he acted as schoolmaster of the parish,[4] but resigned at the latter date, the Town Council having resolved (28 May 1576) "that in no time coming should the minister of the kirk be admitted school-master of the burgh."
[3][5] Criticism from a number of pulpits may have led the government to believe that some of the clergy had been party to an attempt by the Ruthven faction to regain power, which had resulted in the taking of Stirling Castle in April.
The Earl of Gowne was executed on 2 May for his alleged involvement in the failed coup, although he appears to have been doing his best to leave the country via Dundee at the time.
He dedicated it to James VI—‘Scotorum regi christianissimo gratiam et pacem à Domino.’ Carmichael's work, ‘Grammatice Latino de Etymologia,’ &c., was from the press of the university printer, Thomas Thomas, M.A., a lexicographer himself, and its full title is given by Ames; it consists of 52 pp., and has some commandatory poems prefixed.
"[8] Carmichael wrote to James VI and I on 27 March 1615 asking for remuneration for his fifteen months of work examining witches.