BOTHWELL, JAMES HEPBURN, fourth earl of, was 1, about 1526. On his father's death in 1556. he succeeded to the great inheritance which made the earl of Bothwell the most powerful noble in the s. of Scotland. At first, he opposed the reformation party. but on their accession to power he easily changed his polities; and,. in 1561. formed one of the deputation of lords sent to convey the youthful queen of Scotland to her kingdom. He was shortly after made a privy-conneilor; but his violence and misconduct soon became intolerable, and he was ordered to quit Edinburgh. In Mar., 1562, he and the earl of Arran were committed to the castle for conspiring to seize the queen's person. B. made his escape, was recaptured at Holy island, again got free, and sailed to France. lie speedily returned, but finding Moray close on his trail, embarked for the continent. Not appearing at his trial, he was outlawed. In 1505, after the queen's marriage with Darnley, he re-appeared, and having strongly espoused her cause against Moray and his party, was suddenly restored to favor, and even high influence. In Oct., 1566, while performing a judicial tour in Liddesdale, he was attacked and wounded, and the queen manifested her interest in his danger by riding 20 in. and back to see him. a journey which brought on a dangerous fever. At Craigmillar, some time after, B. attempted, unsuccessfully, to overrule her objections to a divorce from Darnley. A more thorough-going method was open to him, and on the night of 9th Feb., 1567, Darnley was blown up at the Kirk of Field. The public voice loudly
charged B. with the murder, but lie was not formally indicted till the 28th March, He came to the trial attended by 4000 followers, and received an easy acquittal. Two days after, lie carried the sword of state before the queen at the opening of parliament, and at its close, all his lands and offices were confirmed to him, in consideration of his "gret and manifold guile service done and performit not only to her hienes' honour, weil, and estimatioun, but hlsua to the comone weil of the Hahne and leiges thairof." At a supper on the following night, the leading nobles signed a bond approving of Bothwell's acquittal, and commending him as a fit husband to the queen, pledging themselves to stand by him. On the 26th April, B., accompanied by a strong force, carried off the queen to Dunbar castle; on the 6th May he was divorced from his wife; and on the 15th his marriage with Mary was solemnized at Holyrood. He had previously been created duke of Orkney. His guilty triumph was very short; the wrath of the nation was roused; at the end of one month, Mary was a prisoner in Edinburgh, and B., pursued in his voyage to the Orkneys, tied to Denmark. There he was seized, imprisoned, and died in 1576, leaving no heirs. His titles and estates were forfeited to the crown.