John Herspolz [also John Hepburn] (died 1485 × 1487) was a 15th century Bishop of Dunblane

Bishop of Dunblane

The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane/Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland. The bishopric itself certainly derives from an older...

. On the day of the resignation of the bishopric of Dunblane by Robert Lauder

Robert Lauder

Robert Lauder, M.A., Bachelor of Canon Law , was a Scottish prelate and Nuncio of the 15th century. The Lauder family produced a large number of senior churchman in this period, and alongside Robert can be named William Lauder, Bishop of Glasgow, Alexander Lauder and Thomas Lauder, both...

 at the papal curia - September 12, 1466 - Pope Paul II

Pope Paul II

Pope Paul II , born Pietro Barbo, was pope from 1464 until his death in 1471.- Early life :He was born in Venice, and was a nephew of Pope Eugene IV , through his mother. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope...

 provided Herspolz as Lauder's successor.

Herpolz's strange name suggests that he was not Scottish, perhaps being a papal courtier opportunistically rewarded after Lauder's resignation. King James III of Scotland

James III of Scotland

James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...

, presumably unaware of the Pope's actions, selected and nominated the Dean

Dean (religion)

A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...

 of Brechin

Brechin

Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...

, John Spalding

John Spalding (Dean of Brechin)

John Spalding was a 15th century churchman based at Brechin in Angus, Scotland. Spalding became Dean of Brechin in 1456; he was confirmed in this position by the Pope on October 5, 1458...

, as the new bishop sometime in late 1466 or in 1467; this certainly occurred before November 19, 1467. Herspolz was nevertheless consecrated as bishop sometime between June 22 and September 28, 1467.

Herspolz held the bishopric for two decades, dying sometime between his last occurrence in the sources on February 3, 1485, and the first mention of his successor's provision on January 31, 1487; it is extremely likely that he died in 1486. Herspolz's foreign name was rendered as Hepburn by Scottish writers wishing to make the name more comprehensible, and it is possible that Herspolz himself did this.