Dicsone was born in
Perthshire, and studied at the
University of St Andrews. He became a follower and personal friend of Bruno, who was in England during the years 1583 to 1585. It is considered probable that they met in this period, though not certain. Dicsone in any case was then in England, and became the outstanding disciple of Bruno in England and Scotland. He is mentioned in Bruno's dialogues, along with another British disciple ("Smith") who remains unidentified. Bruno and Dickson were part of the intellectual circle of
Sir Philip Sidney. Dicsone opposed
Ramism, and was attacked in the
Antidicsonus by "G.P." Now considered to be by
William Perkins, it has also been attributed to
Gerard Peeters.
Walter Ong considered this dispute one of the major controversies over Ramism.
Frances Yates argued that it should be considered as "over-lapping" with the debate of Bruno with the Aristotelians at Oxford, also in 1584. Perkins represented the
Puritan view of mnemonic techniques based on images, which considered them tainted with idolatry, heresy, Catholicism and obscenity. With Bruno and Dicsone, Perkins mentioned in his dedicatory epistle
Metrodorus of Scepsis and
Cosma Rosselli. The memory technique taught by Dicsone was questioned by
Hugh Plat in 1594. It has been suggested that Dicsone was led to Bruno's memory theory by the requirement for memorable textbooks. Dicsone was said to have worked for
Philip Sidney. By 1588 Dicsone was working for
Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll. Hay was a Catholic and rebel, and Dicsone acted as a go-between for his master and the
Scottish Kirk. He was mixture of spy and double agent, a position eventually untenable. Dicsone was in trouble with
James VI of Scotland for carrying letters from
Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, an English Catholic in exile. He declared himself a Catholic by the same year, 1591. He went on further continental travels, in the Catholic interest, with
Peter Lowe. In the later 1590s James VI recruited him, and Dicsone wrote in James's causes. According to the English diplomat
George Nicholson, James VI employed Dicsone to write a treatise answering Doleman's
A Conference about the Next Succession and advancing the king's title to the English throne. Dicsone was going through letters from Queen Elizabeth to help the argument in February 1598. His treatise titled
Of the Right of the Crowne efter Hir Majesty was not published.
Andrew Hunter wrote to
Sir Robert Cecil in November 1598 that Dicsone was expected at
The Hague and was an enemy to England. He is last heard of trying to bring
John Davidson to heel, in 1603.
Thomas Murray's Elegy on his death appeared in 1604. ==Works==