▁was ▁conv icted ▁of ▁the ▁murder ▁of ▁Lord ▁D arn ley ▁in ▁ 1 5 6 7 ▁and ▁executed , ▁and ▁his ▁titles ▁for fe it . ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁ 1 5 8 1 , ▁James ▁Max well ▁was ▁created ▁Earl ▁of ▁Mort on , ▁with ▁the ▁subs idi ary ▁title ▁Lord ▁Car ly le ▁and ▁E sk dale , ▁and ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁lands ▁of ▁Mort on ▁in ▁a ▁char ter ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 5 , ▁his ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁lands ▁were ▁rev oked , ▁although ▁he ▁apparently ▁retained ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁title . ▁He ▁was ▁sty led ▁Earl ▁of ▁Mort on ▁until ▁his ▁death , ▁despite ▁Arch ib ald ▁Douglas , ▁ 8 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁Ang us ▁( 1 5 5 5 – 1 5 8 8 ), ▁being ▁confirmed ▁as ▁ 5 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁Mort on ▁in ▁ 1 5 8 6 . ▁ ▁Max well ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁of ▁Scotland , ▁and ▁as ▁W arden ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁March es ▁between ▁ 1 5 7 1 ▁and ▁ 1 5 7 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁leave ▁to ▁go ▁over se as , ▁trav elling ▁to ▁Madrid ▁where ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁planning ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Arm ada ▁of ▁ 1 5 8 8 . ▁On ▁his ▁return ▁that ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁arrested ▁as ▁a ▁tra itor , ▁but ▁was ▁fre ed ▁in ▁