John de Ralston
Encyclopedia
John de Ralston was 15th century Scottish bishop and administrator. He was regarded as illegitimate, although today his parents are not known. Ralston appears in the records for the first time in 1426, where he is chaplain
and secretary
to Lord Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. He retained this position on the death of Douglas in 1439. Bewtween 1429 and 1443 he served as the fourth provost of Bothwell Collegiate Church, the home church of the Douglas earls
. On 26 November 1445 he became dean
of the diocese of Dunkeld
.
From 1442, John was a member of the court of King James II of Scotland
, and from the following year he is the King's personal secretary
. At some stage he attended the University of St Andrews
and obtained a Licentiate
in decrees. In 1445 he was Prebendary
(officially, Rector
) of Cambuslang
. He was in the process of obtaining a doctorate in canon law
when, after the translation of Bishop William Turnbull to the bishopric of Glasgow on 27 October 1447, Ralston was elected Bishop of Dunkeld
. He was consecrated by the end of April 1448, after making a payment of 450 gold florins
. On 20 April 1448 he is recorded as secretary to King James II and keeper of the Privy Seal
. In this year John and two other officials were sent to France
as ambassador
s in a mission to, among other things, find a suitable bride
for King James; the mission went first to the King of France and then to the Duke of Burgundy
. The bride chosen was Mary of Gueldres, a relative of the Duke and the daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders
.
On his return to Scotland
, Ralston became the King's treasurer
. However, the autumn of 1449 brought the collapse of the dominance of the Livingston family at the Scottish court, and Ralston lost his position as a result of his association with this family. Ralston is recorded alive for the last time on 5 July 1451. He appears to have died before 28 April 1452 when Ralston's successor Thomas Lauder
is provided
to a now vacant bishopric of Dunkeld
. He was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral
.
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
and secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
to Lord Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. He retained this position on the death of Douglas in 1439. Bewtween 1429 and 1443 he served as the fourth provost of Bothwell Collegiate Church, the home church of the Douglas earls
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
. On 26 November 1445 he became dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the diocese of Dunkeld
Diocese of Dunkeld
The Diocese of Dunkeld was one of the 13 historical dioceses of Scotland preceding the abolition of Episcopacy in 1689.-History:It is thought that the diocese was constituted as far back as the middle of the ninth century. The first occupant was styled Bishop of Fortriu, the name by which the...
.
From 1442, John was a member of the court of King James II of Scotland
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
, and from the following year he is the King's personal secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
. At some stage he attended the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and obtained a Licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
in decrees. In 1445 he was Prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
(officially, Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
) of Cambuslang
Cambuslang clergy
The sequence of Clergy of Cambuslang reflects pretty accurately the development of the Christian Church in Scotland.-The Catholic Church:The revenues of the Parish of Cambuslang were obviously substantial enough for the priests to carry the title Rector. One - William Monypenny - had enough to...
. He was in the process of obtaining a doctorate in canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
when, after the translation of Bishop William Turnbull to the bishopric of Glasgow on 27 October 1447, Ralston was elected Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
. He was consecrated by the end of April 1448, after making a payment of 450 gold florins
Italian coin florin
The Italian florin was a coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard. It had 54 grains of nominally pure gold worth approximately 200 modern US Dollars...
. On 20 April 1448 he is recorded as secretary to King James II and keeper of the Privy Seal
Privy Seal
A privy seal refers to the personal seal of a reigning monarch, used for the purpose of authenticating official government document.-Privy Seal of England:The Privy Seal of England can be traced back to the reign of King John...
. In this year John and two other officials were sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s in a mission to, among other things, find a suitable bride
Bride
A bride is a woman about to be married or newlywed.The word may come from the Proto-Germanic verb root *brū-, meaning 'to cook, brew, or make a broth' which was the role of the daughter-in-law in primitive families...
for King James; the mission went first to the King of France and then to the Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
. The bride chosen was Mary of Gueldres, a relative of the Duke and the daughter of Arnold, Duke of Guelders
Arnold, Duke of Guelders
Arnold of Egmond was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen. He was son of John II of Egmond and Maria van Arkel....
.
On his return to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Ralston became the King's treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
. However, the autumn of 1449 brought the collapse of the dominance of the Livingston family at the Scottish court, and Ralston lost his position as a result of his association with this family. Ralston is recorded alive for the last time on 5 July 1451. He appears to have died before 28 April 1452 when Ralston's successor Thomas Lauder
Thomas Lauder
Thomas Lauder was a 15th century Scottish churchman. A graduate of the University of Paris, he served the Scottish king at the Council of Basel in the 1430s...
is provided
Provision
Provision may refer to:* Provision , an industrial dance / synthpop band from Houston, Texas, USA* Provision , a term for liability in accounting* Provision , a term for a procurement condition...
to a now vacant bishopric of Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
. He was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral
Dunkeld Cathedral
Dunkeld Cathedral stands on the north bank of the River Tay in Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Built in square-stone style of predominantly grey sandstone, the cathedral proper was begun in 1260 and completed in 1501...
.