John Binning and the Earl of Morton, who had been executed for the murder in June 1581, had declared that Douglas was actually present at the blowing up of Darnley's lodgings in Kirk of Field, and it was moreover asserted that while perpetrating the crime Douglas ‘tint his mwlis’ (lost his slippers), which being found upon the spot the next day, were acknowledged to be his. The jury unanimously acquitted him, but there are strong reasons for supposing that the trial was a collusive one, and that its only object was the exculpation of the prisoner. According to Moyses, Douglas was ‘absolved most shamefully and unhonestly to the exclamation of the whole people. It was thought the filthiest iniquity that was heard of in Scotland’ (Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, 1755, p. 108). Spotiswood asserts that the acquittal was obtained by the procurement of the prior of Blantyre for private reasons (History of the Church of Scotland, 1851, ii. 343–4). But as Douglas returned to Scotland virtually as an agent of Elizabeth to James's court, the matter was probably arranged before his return. Having been favourably received by James, he was sent back to England as an ambassador of the king, and appears to have contributed to the condemnation of Mary, ‘having discovered several passages betwixt her and himself, and other catholicks of England, tending to her liberation: which were made use of against her majesty for taking her life’ (Memoirs of Sir James Melvil of Halhill, 1735, pp. 348–9). In 1587 he was dismissed from this post upon the arrival of Sir Robert Melville in England. On 13 March 1593 Douglas was deposed for non-residence and neglect of duty from the parsonage of Glasgow, which he resigned 4 July 1597. The date of his death is unknown, but it appears that he was alive at the beginning of the seventeenth century. He married Lady Jane Hepburn, the widow of John, master of Caithness. Frequent allusions to Douglas are made in the ‘Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland,’ 1509–1603, 2 vols.
[Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice (1832), pp. 125–8; Hew Scott's Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ (1868), vol. ii. pt. i. pp. 2–3; Pitcairn's Criminal Trials in Scotland (1833), vol. i. pt. ii. pp. 95, 142–54; Arnot's Collection and Abridgment of Celebrated Trials in Scotland (1785), pp. 7–20; Robertson's History of Scotland (1806), iii. 32–3, 415–20, 424–7; Laing's History of Scotland (1804), i. 23, ii. 17, 55, 331–336, 337–9; Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vols. i–iv.]
DOUGLAS, ARCHIBALD, eighth Earl of Angus (1555–1588), was only son of David, seventh earl, and succeeded to the earldom on his father's death when only two years old. His uncle and guardian, James Douglas, earl of Morton [q. v.], obtained his infeftment in the estates as his father's heir in 1559, notwithstanding the claim Margaret, countess of Lennox, as heir general of her father, the sixth earl, again made, as she had done after her father's death. When Queen Mary came of age in 1564, she confirmed in his favour the charter by James V in 1547 to the sixth earl, and on 13 May 1565 Morton obtained a renunciation of the claim of the Countess of Lennox and a ratification by her husband and her son Darnley of the entail by the sixth earl, under which his ward, as heir male, was entitled to the Douglas succession. As a consideration for this concession Morton and the young Angus bound themselves to support the marriage of Mary to Darnley.
When Morton left Scotland, after Rizzio's murder in 1566, the Earl of Atholl succeeded him as tutor of Angus; but on his return next year Morton resumed the guardianship. Angus studied at St. Andrews under John Douglas, provost of the New College, afterwards archbishop. When only twelve he carried the crown at the first parliament of James VI, and signed the rolls of its proceedings by which the confession of faith was confirmed. The influence of his uncle secured his early education in the principles of the reformers. In the parliament of July 1570 he voted for the appointment of Lennox as regent, and next year again carried the crown at the parliament which met in Stirling. On the death of Mar, who succeeded Lennox in the regency, Angus supported his uncle, who became regent, and with him he appears to have resided. In January 1573 he was appointed member of the privy council, and on 12 June married Lady Mary Erskine, daughter of the late regent. In October he was appointed sheriff of Berwick, and in July of next year lieutenant-general south of the Forth, an office which naturally fell to the head of his house when in favour with the government. A quarrel between him and his uncle, the regent, as to whether he should have this office was made up by the good sense of both. From August 1575 he was actively engaged in its duties. The confidence felt in him is shown by his correspondence with the English wardens, and was justified by his endeavour to keep the peace in the districts which his ancestors had done so much to reduce to order. The submission made to him by a number of the smaller lairds of the border in November 1576 proved his judicious administration. In May 1577 he was appointed warden of the west marches, in succession
