George Durie reached high offices in church and state, becoming Commendator and the last Abbot of Dunfermline before the Reformation. He also appeared in Parliament between 1540 and 1554, was appointed an Extraordinary Lord in 1541, became Lord of the Articles, a member of the Governor's "Secret Counsale" in 1543, a Lord of Council and Session and Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland. George Durie was a staunch supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots and as a bitter opponent of the new faith he brought his own cousin, John Durie, a monk to trial for proclaiming the new teaching. The Queen and her mother, the Queen-Dowager wrote several letters to George Durie while in distress and sent him on diplomatic missions to the court of France. Durie later fled there taking with him the relics of Queen Margaret for "safe keeping".