His brother, Patrick Bellenden was present at the murder of David RizzioatHolyrood Palace. Rizzio hid behind Mary, Queen of Scots. According to Mary, Patrick Bellenden pointed his gun at her pregnant belly.[4]
Sir John Scot of Scotstarvet, writing in the seventeenth century, tells us that "Sir John made the conquests, and left his eldest son Sir Lewis a fair estate, viz. the barony of Broughton, with the superiority of the Canongate and North Leith, having therein near two thousand vassals; the baronies of Auchnoul, Woodhouslie, Abbot's-grange, and many others. And to the eldest son of the third marriage he left the barony of Carlowrie, (Linlithgowshire), and Kilconquhar, Fife, and diverse lands about Brechin."
Marion (or Margaret) Scott, by whom he had three daughters. Two died young and the third, Marion (d. 1604), married John Ramsay of Dalhousie. This was probably the wedding in October 1564, three miles from Edinburgh, described by Thomas Randolph.[6][7]
Barbara Kennedy, daughter of Sir Hugh Kennedy of Girvanmains by his spouse Janet Stewart, daughter to John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl. The contract was signed by the Regent Mary of Guise herself on 30 September 1555. Barbara was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Regent,[8] who bought a black velvet gown for her.[9] Guise contributed £266-13s-4d to her a dowry in October 1555. At this time, her father was employed by Guise on a military mission in the north against the Clan Mackay, and John Bellenden was working with the Regent at her justice ayres in Dumfries and Jedburgh.[10] They had four sons and one daughter. They were;