JAMES HAMILTON, 3rd earl (1537-1609), was intended by his father to marry Mary, Queen of Scots. Later on Henry VIII. promised the hand of his daughter Elizabeth as the price of the adherence of Hamilton's father to the English interest. He was immersed in the political factions of the time in Scotland. In 155o he went to France and received the command of the Scots Guards, but in 1559 was obliged to leave France. On his return to Scotland he became one of the Lords of the Congregation, and was sup ported by the Protestants as a suitor for Mary's hand. In 1561 he showed signs of insanity and the rest of his life was spent in confinement. He died in 1609.
During the insanity of the 3rd earl, his honours were claimed, and for a short time enjoyed by JAMES STEWART, his cousin, known as earl of Arran from 1581 to 1586. He was the rival of Lennox for the chief power in the country, but both were deprived of office by the raid of Ruthven Aug. 22 1582, and Arran was im prisoned till September under the charge of the earl of Gowrie. In 1583, however, he assembled a force of 12,00o men against the new government; the Protestant lords escaped over the border, and Arran, returning to power, was made governor of Stirling Castle and in 1584 lord chancellor. The same year Gowrie was captured through Arran's treachery and executed after the failure of the plot of the Protestant lords against the latter's government. Castle and in 1584 lord chancellor. The same year Gowrie was made provost of the city and lieutenant-general of the King's forces. Arran's tyranny and insolence, however, stirred up a mul titude of enemies and caused his rapid fall from power. On account of the murder of Lord Russell on the border in July 1585, of which he was accused by Elizabeth, he was imprisoned at the castle of St. Andrews, and subsequently the banished lords with Elizabeth's support entered Scotland, seized the government and proclaimed Arran a traitor. He fled in November, and from this time his movements are furtive and uncertain. In 1586 he was ordered to leave the country, but it is doubtful whether he ever quitted Scot land. He contrived secretly to maintain friendly communication with James, and in 1S92 returned to Edinburgh, and contrived to get reinstated in the court and kirk. His unscrupulous and ad venturous career was terminated towards the close of 1S95 by his assassination near Symontown in Lanarkshire by Sir James Doug las (nephew of his victim the earl of Morton), who carried his head in triumph on the point of a spear through the country.