Marie Pieris, Lady Seton ( 1520–1576) was a French lady in waiting at the Scottish court.
She was the daughter of René Pierres, Seigneur du Plessis-Baudouin and Antoinette d'Hommes. The French Pierres family claimed to have descended from the
Percy family of
Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
.
Scotland

Marie Pieris joined the household of
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French people, French noblewoman of the ...
when she married
James V
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...
, King of Scotland. Soon after coming to Scotland, she married
George Seton, 6th Lord Seton
George Seton IV, 6th Lord Seton (born: c. 1508; died 1549) was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland.
He was the son of Janet Hepburn, daughter of Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell. His father, the George Seton, 5th Lord Seton, 5th Lord Seton w ...
. Their
handfasting
Handfasting is a traditional practice that, depending on the term's usage, may define an unofficiated wedding (in which a couple marries without an officiant, usually with the intent of later undergoing a second wedding with an officiant), a ...
was held at
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, who took refuge there from political and religious turmoil of her times.
Today it is under th ...
in February 1539. Her father wrote from Plessis-Baudouin to Mary of Guise to thank her for arranging the marriage, and he promised that after his death Marie would have her inheritance from him. René Pierres was improving his home at this time with a new
drawbridge
A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...
and a chapel at the parish church of
Joué-Étiau in
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire () is a department in the Loire Valley in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France. It is named after the two rivers, Maine and the Loire. It borders Mayenne and Sarthe to the north, Loire-Atlantique to the west, Indr ...
.
In
early modern Scotland
Scotland in the early modern period refers, for the purposes of this article, to Scotland between the death of James IV in 1513 and the end of the Jacobite risings in the mid-eighteenth century. It roughly corresponds to the early modern perio ...
married
women
A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl.
Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional u ...
did not change their surnames. Her children included Robert Seton of Greendikes, James, and
Mary Seton
Mary Seton (1542–1615) was a Scottish courtier and later a nun. She was one of the four attendants of Mary, Queen of Scots, known as the Four Marys. She was a sister at the Convent of Saint Pierre les Dames in Reims at the time of her death.
S ...
, the well-known companion of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
. Little is known of Robert and less of John.
Her colleague in the queen's household, Jeanne Delareynveil, married
Robert Beaton of
Creich in 1539, and their daughter
Mary Beaton
Mary Beaton (about 1543–1597), or Bethune as she wrote her family name, was a Scottish courtier. She is remembered in history as one of the four girls who were companions of Mary, Queen of Scots from childhood, known as The Queen's Maries or ...
was another of the celebrated
four Marys.
War with England
After the death of James V, Scotland was ruled by
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
James may refer to:
People
* James (given name)
* James (surname)
* James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician
* James, brother of Jesus
* King James (disambiguation), various kings named James
* Prince Ja ...
as "Regent Arran". The infant queen remained in the care of her mother, Mary of Guise, at
Linlithgow Palace
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland in the 15th and 16th ce ...
and then at
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...
. A proposal from
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
that the infant queen Mary should marry his son
Prince Edward, led to a war, now often known as the
Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing (; December 1543 – March 1551), also known as the Eight Years' War, was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the 16th century. Following the English Reformation, the break with the Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland ...
.
Marie Pieris wrote to Mary of Guise from
Niddry Castle
Niddry Castle is a sixteenth-century tower house near Winchburgh, West Lothian, Scotland. It is situated near the Union Canal (Scotland), Union Canal, and between two large oil shale bings, or waste heaps. Historically it was known as Niddry Se ...
, warning her that Lord Seton had heard of a plot by
Regent Arran
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
to kidnap the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. As she mentions she has discussed the plot with
Cardinal Beaton, the letter may date from 1543, when the Cardinal was held in Lord Seton's custody. She signed the letter "Marye Pyerres".
The couple were given a new charter of the lands of
Winchburgh
Winchburgh is a village in the Subdivisions of Scotland, council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately west of the city centre of Edinburgh, east of Linlithgow and northeast of Broxburn, West Lothian, Broxburn.
Demograp ...
and "West" Niddry Castle on 27 June 1548. During the
siege of Haddington
The sieges of Haddington were a series of sieges staged at the Royal Burgh of Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, as part of the War of the Rough Wooing, one of the last Anglo-Scottish Wars. Following Regent Arran's defeat at the battle of Pi ...
the family lived at
Culross
Culross (/ˈkurəs/) (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cuileann Ros'', 'holly point or promontory') is a village and former royal burgh, and parish, in Fife, Scotland.
According to the 2006 estimate, the village has a population of 395. Originally, Culross ...
in
Fife
Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...
. Lord Seton died in July 1549 and was buried in the quire of
Culross Abbey
Culross Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in Culross, Scotland, headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Culross. Part of it is still used as the local parish church by the Church of Scotland.
History
The abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm I ...
. When the war was over, Marie Pieris had his body reburied at
Seton Collegiate Church
Seton Collegiate Church, known locally as Seton Chapel, is a collegiate church south of Port Seton, East Lothian, Scotland. It is adjacent to Seton House. The church is designated as a scheduled monument.
Description
The church consists of th ...
next to his father.
The Seton family and the Hamiltons were reconciled by August 1550 when her step-son
George Seton, 7th Lord Seton
George Seton V, 7th Lord Seton (1531–1586), was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland, Master of the Household of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Provost of Edinburgh. He was the eldest son of George Seton, 6th Lord Seton, and Elizabeth Hay, a daug ...
married Isobel Hamilton, daughter of Sir
William Hamilton of
Sanquhar
Sanquhar (, ) is a town on the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, north of Thornhill and west of Moffat. It is a former Royal Burgh.
It is notable for its tiny post office, established in 1712 and considered the oldest working p ...
, who was Captain of
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
for his kinsman Regent Arran. The wedding was celebrated on 12 August with a feast at Edinburgh Castle. William Hamilton is said to have organised repairs to
Seton Palace
Seton Palace was situated in East Lothian, a few miles south-east of Edinburgh near the town of Prestonpans. Often regarded as the most desirable Scottish residence of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the palace was erected in the 15th c ...
which had been damaged by the English army following the
sack and burning of Edinburgh in May 1544.
Second marriage
In 1554 Lady Seton married Philippe Pierre de Cluys, Seigneur de
Briantes
Briantes () is a commune in the Indre department in central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Indre department
The following is a list of the 241 communes of the Indre department of France.
The communes cooperate in the fol ...
(d. 1558), whose name is usually given as "Pierre de Clovis" or "Cluise". A drawing of his portrait from the studio of
François Clouet
François Clouet ( – 22 December 1572), son of Jean Clouet, was a French Renaissance miniaturist and painter, particularly known for his detailed portraits of the French ruling family.
Historical references
François Clouet was born in Tou ...
is in the collection of
Musée Condé
The – in English, the Condé Museum – is a French museum located inside the Château de Chantilly in Chantilly, Oise, 40 km north of Paris. In 1897, Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, son of Louis Philippe I, bequeathed the château and ...
at
Château de Chantilly The Château de Chantilly () is a historic French château located in the town of Chantilly, Oise, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Paris. The site comprises two attached buildings: the Petit Château, built around 1560 for Anne de Montmore ...
.
Cluys attended Mary of Guise during her visit to England in 1551. In 1554, he came to Scotland bringing a letter from the accountant Jehan Bougouin about Mary Queen of Scots' French household. He was a nephew of
Jacques de la Brosse a former French diplomat in Scotland and soldier at the
Siege of Leith
The siege of Leith ended a twelve-year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland. French troops arrived in Scotland by invitation in 1548. In 1560 the French soldiers opposed Scottish supporter ...
. They had no children. Marie Pieris was occasionally known as "Madame Briant", but also used her title "Lady Seton".
Mary, Queen of Scots: in Scotland and England
With
Jeanne Delareynveil and
Marie Courcelles she joined the household of the widowed Mary Queen of Scots when she returned to Scotland in 1561. Mary gave "Ladie Seitoun" white and red silk taffeta in November 1561, possibly for a gown. Marie seems to have done sewing for the queen, and in January 1564 was given Holland linen to line sleeves for the queen or her ladies.
A grant from Mary, Queen of Scots to Lady Seton in 1565 was addressed to "Dame Marie Pier, Lady Seytoun and Brieane." Payments to "dame Marie Pierre, Lady Seyttoun" occur in the accounts of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary gave "Madame Briant" a hat in March 1565. Before the
wedding of Mary and Darnley, "old Lady Seton" and
David Rizzio
David Rizzio ( ; ; – 9 March 1566) or Riccio ( , ) was an Italian courtier, born in Pancalieri close to Turin, a descendant of an ancient and noble family still living in Piedmont, the Riccio Counts di San Paolo e Solbrito, who rose to bec ...
were with the couple when they walked in disguise or
masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A mas ...
costume on Edinburgh's
High Street
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
.
When Mary was pregnant, in May 1566 she made a will bequeathing her jewels, and if she had died "Madame de Briante" would have a pair of bracelets studded with amethysts. At Easter 1567, with the rest of the household, she was given linen and was listed as "Madame de Briande". The occasion was a
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday, or Thursday of the Lord's Supper, among other names,The day is also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries. is ...
, or "Skyris Thuriday", ceremony when the queen washed her ladies' feet.
The day after the
death of Lord Darnley at the Kirk o' Field, the servant known as "French Paris" came to queen's bedchamber at
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood has s ...
to hang her bed with mourning black and light candles in the "ruelle", a space between the bed and the wall. "Madame de Bryant" gave him a fried egg for his breakfast. He noticed her speaking privately with the
Earl of Bothwell
Earl of Bothwell was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. Subsequently, the earldom was recreated for the 4th Earl's nephew and heir of line, F ...
concealed behind a curtain.
Mary, Queen of Scots was deposed in 1567 and was taken to
Lochleven Castle
Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1 ...
. She escaped and first made her way to safety at Niddry. In 1568 she went to England and Marie's daughter Mary Seton joined her. In August 1570 Mary Pieris was at
Blair Castle
Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: ''Caisteil Bhlàir'') stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their clan chief, chief, the ...
with the
Countess of Atholl and heard her daughter was ill in England. She wrote from
Dunkeld
Dunkeld (, , from , "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to the geological Highland Boundar ...
to Queen Mary to ask if she could come home. The messenger carrying the letters, John Moon, was captured. On 29 August "dame Marie Pier" and her son Robert were arrested for passing letters to Moon for Mary, Queen of Scots. They were put on trial in
Tolbooth
A tolbooth or town house was the main municipal building of a Scotland, Scottish burgh, from medieval times until the 19th century. The tolbooth usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail. The tolbooth was one of th ...
at
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, on the charge that their letters denied the authority of
James VI of Scotland
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
and his representatives. They were released on their promise they would not write to Queen Mary again. The
Bishop of Ross,
John Lesley
John Lesley (or Leslie) (29 September 1527 – 31 May 1596) was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch.
Early career
He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, where he ...
, had written to
Regent Lennox that she was Mary's special servant and one of her Dames of Honour and should be freed. In October,
Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to:
Queens regnant
* Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms
* Queen B ...
heard she had been had been arrested and would be banished from Scotland, and took action that Regent Lennox should know that she thought it no great cause. Marie Pieris had already been released before this intervention, promising not to write to Queen Mary again.
As the
Marian Civil War continued, Marie Pieris stayed in Edinburgh Castle during the "lang siege" and helped
Mary Fleming
Mary Fleming (; also spelled ''Marie Flemyng''; 1542–fl. 1584) was a Scottish noblewoman and childhood companion and cousin of Mary, Queen of Scots. She and three other ladies-in-waiting ( Mary Livingston, Mary Beaton and Mary Seton) were ...
make an inventory of
jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots
The jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) are mainly known through the evidence of inventories held by the National Records of Scotland. She was bought jewels during her childhood in France, adding to those she inherited. She gave gifts of ...
remaining in the castle. She signed the document "Marye Ladye Seton". The jewels were subsequently pledged by
William Kirkcaldy of Grange
Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange (c. 1520 –3 August 1573) was a Scottish politician and soldier who fought for the Scottish Reformation. He ended his career holding Edinburgh castle on behalf of Mary, Queen of Scots and was hanged at the c ...
for loans from the queen's supporters to pay his soldiers.
In June 1574 she had a lawsuit against the Italian cloth merchant and financier
Timothy Cagnioli. Mary, Queen of Scots wrote that "Madame de Briante" had returned to France in November 1574 to discuss her marital property with her brother-in-law. Mary wrote that she served her and her mother Mary of Guise, and her daughter Mary Seton continued in agreeable daily service at
Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle was a castle in Sheffield, England, constructed at the confluence of the River Sheaf and the River Don, possibly on the site of a former Anglo-Saxon long house, and dominating the early town. A motte and bailey castle had been ...
. Mary recommended her again, "la bonne dame de Seyton", to the
Archbishop of Glasgow
The Archbishop of Glasgow is an archiepiscopal title that takes its name after the city of Glasgow in Scotland. The position and title were abolished by the Church of Scotland in 1689; and, in the Catholic Church, the title was restored by Pop ...
in a letter of 20 February 1575.
[Alexandre Labanoff, ''Letters de Marie Stuart'', vol. 4 (London, 1852), p. 269.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pieris, Marie
1576 deaths
16th-century French women
16th-century Scottish women
French people of the Rough Wooing
Court of Mary, Queen of Scots
People from Maine-et-Loire
Scottish ladies-in-waiting
Marie
Marie may refer to the following.
People Given name
* Marie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
** List of people named Marie
* Marie (Japanese given name)
Surname
* Jean Gabriel-Marie, French compo ...
People of Falkland Palace
Year of birth uncertain