Person of the Month

James Melville began his career in the household of Mary, Queen of Scots in France. After a brief military excursion, he became a diplomat and travelled widely until returning to Scotland in 1564. On excellent terms with most of the leading figures of the day, he left a fascinating memoir of his life – although, reading between the lines, he wasn’t always as straightforward as he seems. Was he a diplomat, or a spy?

In his domestic life, Melville did not move far from his birthplace in Fife, but in his public career he travelled extensively on the continent, as well as frequently journeying between Edinburgh and London.