In 1569 he was sheriff of the county palatine of Durham, and helped his brother, Sir George Bowes, to hold Barnard Castle against the rebel earls.
In 1577 he was appointed ambassador in Scotland, where he had difficult tasks to perform: to counteract the influence of France, retain a hold on James VI, keep together a party that was favourable to England, and promote disunion among the Scottish nobles.
In 1578 he managed by his tact to compose a quarrel between James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and the privy council which threatened to plunge Scotland into civil war.
He tried hard to gain possession of the casket letters, which after Morton's death were said to have come into the hands of John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie, but his attempts failed.
In 1588 or 1589 a Scottish diplomat in London, Samuel Cockburn of Templehall, husband of the poet Elizabeth Douglas, sent him household goods and clothing by sea but the ship was taken by pirates.
In the early 1590s Giacomo Castelvetro, an Italian writer who served James VI as a language tutor and secretary, lodged with them and Eleanor Bowes made friends with his wife, Isotta de Canonici, the widow of Thomas Erastus.
Bowes wrote to William Cecil on 23 July 1590 describing the arrival in Scotland of news of witchcraft trials in Denmark, and arrests in Scotland:[11]It is advertised from Denmark, that the admirall (Peder Munk) there hathe caused five or six witches to be taken in Coupnahaven, upon suspicion that by their witche craft they had stayed the Queen of Scottes (Anne of Denmark) voyage into Scotland, and sought to have stayed likewise the King's retourne.Sundrie witches were arreigned yesterdaye in this towne, and are found guiltie of odious crimes, chieflie that some of them made in wax the image of the young laird of Wardhouse, and rosting the image the gentleman pined awaye by sweate as the wax melteth before the fire.
He made arrangements that English border officials including John Selby would send any suspect witches fleeing to England back to Scotland.
[13][14] Bowes was concerned by the arrival at Glasgow of an Irish rebel Brian O'Rourke who sought the favour and support of James VI in February 1591.
[16] A paper written in defence of the Earl of Bothwell, possibly by the kirk minister Robert Bruce mentions the rendition of "a gleid witche" from England in return for Brian O'Rourke.
Bowes wrote around the same time that "Kennedy the witch of Reydon, lately in England" had testified against Bothwell and agreed with his accuser Richie Graham.
[18] Anne of Denmark told him that she would like to meet Queen Elizabeth, and wanted to have a young English gentleman or maiden of "good parentage" join her household.
On 24 July 1593 Bowes entertained the Danish ambassador Steen Bille in his lodging while the Earl of Bothwell stayed next door, prior to breaking into Holyroodhouse.
The baillies and Provost of Edinburgh, Alexander Home of North Berwick came to the feast and banquet and made a gift of 10,000 Scottish merks.
[26] Bowes wrote to Lord Burghley in August 1597 that the king was "lately pestered and many ways troubled in the examination of the witches which swarm in exceeding number and (as is credibly reported) in many thousands".
His wife waited at Berwick expecting his return from Scotland, and hearing his illness had worsened, she travelled to Edinburgh to meet him on 6 October.
The Scottish poet and courtier William Fowler wrote an epitaph with the lines,And you white Swannes of Thames and Tweide proclame,Your grieuous losses, and his high desert,Who both his courses, and his cares did frame,All dangers from your bankes aye to divert.He lov'd his Queene and crowne with upright heart,Postponing private wealth, to publicke weale.
[1][34] Eleanor Bowes wrote to the diplomat and former court musician James Hudson in July 1596, describing her for fortunes in uncertain times, "or good like shall happen in my handling, or a farewell to my flitting tent for ever pitching in this place any more, ... and God send some better seasons".