Balfour Sir James

Balfour, Sir, James, was descended from the ancient family of the Balfours of Mountquhanny, Fifeshire, Scotland, but the date of his birth is not known. Educated for the Church, he joined the conspirators, who murdered Cardinal Beaton and held the castle of St. Andrew's against the forces of Arran. For this he was sent to the French galleys, but escaping in 1550 obtained pardon and place by abjuring Protestantism. He was now a lawyer, and became lord of session, privy councillor, and judge of the commissary court, and later President of the Court of Session. On the death of Moray he once more changed sides, and, the charge of complicity in Darnley's murder being pressed home, he retired to France and died in 1583. He has been styled, not without reason, "the most corrupt man of his age." The authorship of The Practicks of Scots Law, a collection of statutes, is attributed to him.