Beuton (Or Bethune) James

Beuton (Or Bethune) James

Beuton (Or Bethune) James

a Scottish prelate, was born at Belfour, in the shire of Fife, and was provost of Bothwell in 1503; in 1504 he was abbot of Dunfermline, and treasurer of the kingdom in 1505. In 1508 he became bishop elect of the see of Galloway, and in the same year he was translated to the see of Glasgow. Here he remained until 1522, when he was translated to the primacy of St. Andrews, and continued also in the chancellor's office during the duke of Albany's administration. He founded the New Divinity College at St. Andrews. During his stay at Glasgow he enclosed the episcopal palace in that city with a magnificent stone wall of ashlar-work on the east, south, and west. He augmented the altarages in the choir of the cathedral, over which there is a coat of arms. He also built and repaired several bridges about the city of Glasgow. He died in 1539. See Keith, Scottish Bishops, p. 35, 255, 257.,