John de Ralston

Who was John de Ralston?

John de Ralston was a 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 Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. He retained this position on the death of Douglas in 1439. Between 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 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.