Beaton, James, Archbishop of Glasgow (1517 -1603)

James Beaton, the second son of James Beaton (or Bethune, Betoun) of Balfarg, and nephew to Cardinal David Beaton, was educated in France. At the request of queen-regent Marie de Guise, Pope Julius III consecrated him as Archbishop of Glasgow in 1552. He several times visited France and after the reformation in 1570 he retired to Paris taking with him the muniments and many of the treasures of the Diocese of Glasgow. During his stay in France he acted as Scots ambassador for both Mary and James VI. In 1598, nearly forty years after the overthrow of the ancient Church, the archbishop was formally restored, by an act of the Scottish Parliament, to all his "heritages, honours, dignities, and benefices, notwithstanding that he has never acknowledged the religion professed within the realm". He survived to witness, a month before his death, the union of the English and Scottish crowns under King James. At his death he left all his possessions to the Scots College at Paris. Partially dispersed at the French Revolution, many of the books returned to Scotland and form part of Blairs College Library now on deposit in the National Library of Scotland. Stamp 3 is stamp 2 altered, probably in 1576 when stamp 1 was cut, as the alteration both improves the appearance of stamp 2/3 and brings it into line with the design of stamp 1. Many books from his library survive, the majority with stamp 2.