James Hepburn (bishop)

Coat arms of James Hepburn.

James Hepburn (died 1524) was a Scottish prelate and administrator. He was the son of Alexander Hepburn of Whitsome.<ref>Dowden, Bishops, p. 167; Robert Keith mistakenly wrote that his father was Adam Lord Hailes.</ref> His name occurs as the rector of Dalry and king's clerk on 1 August 1511.<ref name=Dowden-167>Dowden, Bishops, p. 167.</ref> Hepburn was Treasurer of Scotland between from at least June 1515, until October the following year.<ref>Dowden, Bishops, p. 167, n. 2.</ref> He also held the position of rector of Parton in the diocese of Galloway.<ref name=Dowden-167/>

He was elected Bishop of Moray sometime before 12 February 1516, on the nomination of the Governor of Scotland, John Stewart, Duke of Albany, following the translation of Bishop Andrew Forman to the Archbishopric of St Andrews.<ref name=Watt-216>Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 216.</ref>

Hepburn had been granted the temporalities of the see by 28 August.<ref name=Watt-216/> With his provision by Pope Leo X on 14 May 1516, he received a Bull exempting him from the metropolitan and legatine jurisdiction of the Archbishop of St Andrews.<ref name=Dowden-168>Dowden, Bishops, p. 168.</ref> Although Archbishop Forman (d. 1521) had consented to this, his successor James Beaton resented it, and wrote to a senior Cardinal as a part of a wider attempt to have this reversed.<ref name=Dowden-168/>

Among other activities as during his short episcopate, Hepburn instituted the church of Duffus as a new rectory.<ref name=Dowden-168/> He died shortly before 11 November 1524.<ref name=Watt-216/>

References

• Dowden, John, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
• Keith, Robert, An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688, (London, 1924)
• Watt, D.E.R., Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638, 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)