# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hepburn, John (d.1522)

Date of death 1525 in the ODNB.
​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. ​Andrews. Forman, the successful candidate, being unable to obtain possession agreed ultimately to a compromise, by which Hepburn, besides retaining the rents already collected, should receive those of the church and lands of Kirkliston, Linlithgowshire, belonging to the archbishopric. It was also arranged that Hepburn's brother James should be made bishop of Moray, and his nephew prior of Coldingham. On the return of Albany to Scotland, Hepburn, who according to Buchanan was both profoundly covetous and implacably revengeful, insinuated himself into his confidence, and used his influence to poison his mind against Angus, who had supported Gavin Douglas and Home when they took up arms in behalf of Forman. The ultimate result was that Angus had to flee to France, and Home, convicted of a treasonable attempt against the governor, was beheaded [see under Stewart, John, fourth Duke of Albany, and Douglas, Archibald, sixth Earl of Angus]. Whatever Hepburn's faults of character, he administered the affairs of the monastery with energy and skill. Hector Boethius states that he greatly decorated and otherwise improved the monastic building, and also adorned the cathedral at great expense. Towards the close of his life he surrounded the priory and St. Leonard's College with a wall, a considerable portion of which, known as the abbey wall, is still standing, and at various parts bears his arms and initials, with the motto ‘Ad vitam.’ He also commenced the library of St. Leonard's College, and his name is to be seen on some of the books still preserved. He died in 1522. His monument stands in St. Leonard's Chapel, but is so worn and defaced that no inscription is now visible.
[Reg. Mag. Sig. Scotl.; Histories of Scotland by Boethius, Buchanan, Leslie, and Lindsay of Pitscottie; Histories of St. Andrews by Lyon and Charles Rogers; Gordon's Eccl. Chron. Scotland, iii. 86.]
T. F. H.