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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: BAI-BAR |
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BALFOUR, SIR JAMES (of Pittendreich) (d. 1583 Or 1584) , Scottish judge and politician, son of Sir Michael Balfour of Montquhanny, was educated for the legal branch of the church of Scotland. In June 1547, together with Knox and others taken at St Andrews, he was condemned to the French galleys, but was released in 1549, abjured the reformers, entered the service of Mary of Guise, and was rewarded with some considerable legal appointments. Subsequently he went over to the lords of the congregation and then betrayed their plans. After Mary's arrival in Scotland he became one of her secretaries, in 1565 being reported as her greatest favourite after Rizzio.1 He obtained the parsonage of Flisk in Fife in 1561, was nominated a lord of session, and in 1563 one of the commissaries of the court which now took the place of the former ecclesiastical tribunal; in 1565 he was made a privy-councillor, and in 1566 lord-clerk-register, and was knighted. According to Mary his murder was intended together with Rizzio's in 1566. An adherent of Bothwell, he was deeply implicated in Darnley's murder, though not present at the commission of the crime. By his means Darnley was lodged at Kirk o' Field, his brothers' house
drawn
governor of Edinburgh Castle, and is said to have drawn
marriage
contract between Bothwell and Mary. When, however, the fall of Bothwell was seen to be impending he rapidly changed sides and surrendered the castle to Murray, stipulating for his pardon for Darnley's murder,the retention of the priory of Pittenweem, and pecuniary rewards. He was appointed president of the court of session on resigning the office of lordclerk-register. He was present at the battle of Langside with the regent in 1568, and was accused of having advised Mary to1 Cal. of State Pap. (Scottish), ii. 218, 250. leave Dunbar to her ruin, and of having betrayed to her enemies the casket letters. The same year, however, in con-sequence of renewed intrigues with Mary's faction , he was dismissed, and next year was imprisoned on the charge of complicity in Darnley's murder. He succeeded in effecting his escape by means of bribery, the expenses of which he is said to have paid by intercepting the money sent from France to Mary's aid. In August 1571, during the regency of Lennox, an act of forfeiture was passed against him, but next year he was again playing traitor and discovering the secrets of his party to Morton, and he obtained a pardon from the latter in 1573 and negotiated the pacification of Perth the same year. Distrusted by all parties, he fled to France, where he seems to have remained till I580. In 1579 his forfeiture was renewed by act of parliament. In January 158o he wrote to Mary offering her his services, and in June protested his desire to be useful to Elizabeth, lamented the influence of the Jesuits, and intended a journey to Dieppe to hear some good Protestant
marriage
heir of Michael Balfour of Burleigh, by whom, besides three daughters, he had six sons, the eldest of whom was created Baron Balfour of Burleigh in 16o7 3End of Article: BALFOUR, SIR JAMES (of Pittendreich) (d. 1583 Or 1584) If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
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