last Roman Catholic archbishop of Glasgow.

A son of John Bethune of Auchmuty and a nephew of the cardinal David Beaton, James Beaton was a trusted adviser of the Scottish regent, Mary of Lorraine, widow of James V, and a determined foe of the Protestant reformers. Educated in France, he was consecrated at Rome as archbishop of Glasgow in 1552, but from 1560 until his death he served as ambassador in Paris for Mary Stuart and James VI of Scotland.

primate of Scotland from 1522 and chancellor from 1513 to 1526.

Uncle of the cardinal David Beaton, he was abbot of Dunfermline, Kilwinning, and Arbroath and successively archbishop of Glasgow (1509–22) and of St. Andrews (1522–39). As treasurer of Scotland (1505–09) and chancellor, he was a powerful figure during the minority of James V, when he was one of the regents allied with the party that wished to preserve Scottish ties with France. It was chiefly due to his efforts that James's first marriage, with a daughter of Francis I of France, was arranged. As primate, Beaton set an example for his nephew David Beaton by burning the first Scottish martyr, Patrick Hamilton, in 1528, and later three other reformers. David Beaton succeeded him as archbishop of St. Andrews.