Details about his early life are obscure, but it is known that he attended the University of Glasgow before travelling to continental Europe to study theology and canon law.
[2] In the same year he became rector of Ayr,[3] while he had received crown presentation as Provost of Lincluden Collegiate Church in July 1529, a post he would hold along with his new position as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.
[4] In 1530 he received a crown presentation to Pope Clement VII for the deanery of Glasgow, a position he held until on 22 March 1532, when he was nominated by King James V of Scotland to succeed Gavin Dunbar as Bishop of Aberdeen.
[1] As Bishop of Aberdeen, he strongly resisted the emerging protestant heresies, attending condemnations in 1534 and 1540.
[7] He completed building work on King's College, Aberdeen, including a new library and sacristy, as well as two new schools for his diocese.