HEPBURN, JAMES (1573–1620), in religion Bonaventure, linguist, born in 1573 in the shire of East Lothian, Scotland, was fourth son of Thomas Hepburn, rector of Oldhamstocks. He was educated in the university of St. Andrews, where, after completing his studies in humanity and philosophy, he applied himself to the oriental languages. He soon joined the communion of the Roman church, went to France and Italy, and subsequently travelled through Turkey and the East. He mastered so many languages that he was credited with being able to speak to the people of every nation in their own tongue. On returning to Europe he entered the order of Minims at Avignon. Afterwards he lived in retirement at Rome for five years in the French monastery of the Holy Trinity, belonging to his order. He was for six years keeper of the oriental books and manuscripts in the Vatican Library. He died at Venice in October 1620.
Dempster enumerates twenty-nine works by Hepburn, all of which he claims to have seen. They include Hebrew and Chaldaic dictionaries and translations from Hebrew manuscripts, many of which are not known in print. Hepburn published: 1. ‘Alphabetum Arabicum et Exercitatio Lectionis,’ an Arabic grammar, Rome, 1591, 4to. 2. A translation from Hebrew into Latin of the ‘“Kettar Malcuth” of Rabbi Solomon, the son of Tsemach,’ which Dempster entitles ‘Diadema Regni,’ printed at Venice. 3. ‘Virgo Aurea septuaginta duobus encomiis cœlata,’ a large print engraved at Rome in 1616, and dedicated to Paul V. At the top is a representation of the Madonna, beneath are seven columns, in the first and last of which the author explains in Latin and Hebrew his design of eulogising the Blessed Virgin in seventy-two languages, as well as in emblems.
[Dempster's Hist. Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum, p. 363; Mackenzie's Writers of the Scots Nation, iii. 513; European Mag. xxvii. 369; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]
HEPBURN, Sir JAMES (d. 1637), Scottish soldier of fortune, was the son and heir of Hepburn of Waughton, Haddingtonshire, and cousin of Sir John Hepburn [q. v.] He served under Sir John in Germany and France, attended his funeral, and, although objected to as a protestant, succeeded to his rank as commander of the Scots brigade. Richelieu wished Lord James Douglas (1617–1645) [q. v.] to be appointed, but Cardinal de la Valette, the general in command, apparently decided in favour of Hepburn. Hepburn served under Châtillon in Lorraine in 1637, and on 16 Oct., while he was fighting in the breach effected by blowing up a mine at Damvillers, a musket-ball passed through his chest. He died on 7 Nov. at Damvillers, which had capitulated the day after he was wounded. Lord James Douglas succeeded him.
[Gaz. de France, 31 Oct. and 12 Dec. 1637; James Grant's Memoirs of Sir John Hepburn.]
HEPBURN, JOHN (d. 1522), prior of St. Andrews and founder of St. Leonard's College, was the fourth son of Adam Hepburn, second lord Hailes, by Helen, eldest daughter of Alexander, first lord Home [q. v.] According to Dempster, he studied in Paris and wrote an elegant poem on hunting. He succeeded William Carron as prior of the convent in 1482. On 16 June 1488 he obtained from the king the custody of the castle of Falkland for five years (Reg. Mag. Sig. i. 1732). He was for some time keeper of the privy seal, and is mentioned on 31 May 1504 as vicar-general of St. Andrews (ib. 2789). In 1512 he, in concurrence with the archbishop and the king, founded the college of St. Leonard's (Charter in Lyon's Hist. of St. Andrews, ii. 243–4), which he endowed partly with the tithes of St. Leonard's parish, and partly with certain funds of a hospital situated within the precincts of the monastery. Originally the college was a purely monastic institution, being under the entire charge of the prior and conventual chapter, and supplied with teachers from the inmates of the monastery. In 1514 Hepburn was a competitor with Gavin Douglas [q. v.] and Andrew Forman [q. v.] for the archbishopric of St.
