Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Murray, James (d.1596)
MURRAY, JAMES (d. 1596), of Pardovis, author of the placards against Bothwell, was third son of Sir William Murray of Tullibardine, by Catherine, daughter of Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenurchy. He was a younger brother of Sir William Murray of Tullibardine [q. v.], comptroller. On 24 Aug. 1564 Mary queen of Scots wrote to Elizabeth for a passport for him to trade with England for the space of one year (Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. 1564-5, entry 632). The real purpose of the pass seems, however, to have been to permit him to proceed on a private embassy of the queen of Scots to France. In February 1565 he returned from France as a messenger from Bothwell to the queen in regard to the conditions of Bothwell's return to Scotland (ib. entry 1017), and on 30 May a pass was obtained for him to go back again through England to France (ib. entry 1207). Notwithstanding his previous relations with Bothwell, Murray, after the murder of Darnley, became his determined enemy. When the privy council on 12 Feb. published a proclamation announcing a reward of two thousand merks Scots for the discovery of the perpetrators of the crime, placards were on the 16th affixed on the Tolbooth declaring the murderers to be Bothwell, Sir James Balfour, and others. On the proclamation of a reward for the name of the person who had issued the placards, another was affixed in which the author expressed his willingness to disclose himself and to make good his accusation, provided the money were placed in an honest man's hands. In March Murray announced that he was the author of the placards (Drury to Cecil, 21 March 1567, ib. entry 1034), and on 14 March an order was issued by the privy council to prevent him leaving the country (Reg. P. C. Scotl. i. 500). Nevertheless Murray succeeded in escaping arrest, and even offered to furnish proofs at the trial of Bothwell of the guilt of Bothwell and his accomplices, provided his own safety were guaranteed, but the queen declined to agree to these conditions (Drury to Cecil, 27 March and 2 April, Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. 1566-8, entries 1052 and 1060). Murray also expressed his readiness to accept Bothwell's challenge after the trial, placards being affixed to the Tolbooth to this effect, in his name. Should Bothwell decline to meet him on the ground of his rank, he further declared his readiness, with other five gentlemen, to 'prove by the law of arms that six of his followers were with him at that foul and barbarous murder' (Kirkcaldy to Bedford, entry 1034; Buchanan, History of Scotland, bk. xviii.) Murray also renewed at Carberry Hill his challenge to fight Bothwell [see under Murray, Sir William, of Tullibardine],
On 20 Dec. 1574 Murray had a grant of the lands of Dowald in Strathearn, Perthshire (Reg. Mag. Sig. 1546-80, entry 2342), and on 17 April 1582 he and his wife Agnes Lindsay had a grant of the lands of Tunygask, Fifeshire (ib. 1580-93, entry 392). During the ascendency of Arran he was summoned before the council, and declining to appear he was on 12 May 1584 denounced a rebel (Reg. P. C. Scotl. iii. 665), and at a parliament held in the ensuing August sentence of forfeiture was passed against him (Calderwood, History, iv. 198), his lands of Dowald being on 8 Oct. conferred on David Beton (Reg. Mag. Sig. 1580-93, entry 742). On account, however, of the return of the banished lords from England, and the consequent fall of Arran, the sentence remained inoperative. Murray died some time before 13 March 1595-6, and left by his wife Agnes Lindsay, besides other children, a son John, who succeeded him (ib. 1593-1608, entry 418).
[Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot.; Reg. P. C. Scotl.; Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. reign of Elizabeth; Histories of Calderwood and Buchanan; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 146.]