MR GEORGE BELLENDEN

Mr George Bellenden was a younger brother of Sir John and Sir Patrick Bellenden. He appears to have been illegitimate, though documents place him in line of succession after Sir John and Sir Patrick. He had an early interest in the north. In 1561 he granted a tack of the vicarage of Dunrossness to Ola Sinclair of Havera for three years from Lammas 1560; he was appointed chanter of Glasgow in 1564. He was in Scotland in March–June 1564, but by 17 October of that year he was writing from Paris describing his life there, as outlined in the letter below. This fascinating missive explicitly designates him as a brother of Sir John. Already a graduate, he had gone to France for further study. He sought to improve his Latin and French, and also heard lectures in Greek from ‘P Ramus’, the notable renaissance scholar who had had Lords John and James (the later regent) under his tutelage. It is not known whether he returned to Scotland as the only subsequent reference to him is on 21 March 1569 when Sir John Bellenden was granted a gift of the escheat of his goods, as he had died unlegitimated without lawful heirs of his body or disposition of his goods. The following letter, though not part of the main body of the correspondence, gives an interesting perspective on the whole, on the Bellendens’ part in it, and a picture of the times.

Paris, 17 October 1564

Mr George Bellenden to Sir John Bellenden, his brother.

My lord, efter my humble commendatioun of serwice. Althoe I have writtin at lenth to your lordship with the Scottis merchauntis quhom with I come in thir partis quhatsoever thing at this present I had to wrytt, yit remembering on your lordships commands quhilk was that I suld nevir lippin your lordship suld ressave ony wrytting that I wrytt, and that with sindry handis I suld evir wryttthe sammyn think. And understanding also that this berar was cummit of court and bound to Scotland in poist, and that he suld prevene our merchantis, I thocht gude to assure your lordship of your lordships cousing Williamis gude helth and weilfair, and of his placeing in Rowane,7 quhilk I understude your lordship was maist earnest with the first to knaw.