Marie Pieris, Lady Seton (circa 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 The English surname Percy is of Norman origin, coming from Normandy to England, United Kingdom. It was from the House of Percy, Norman lords of Northumberland, derives from the village of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy. From there, it came into use ...

family of

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

Scotland

Marie Pieris joined the household of

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (french: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and one of the most powerful families in France. She ...

when she married

James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was 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 and Margaret Tudor, and duri ...

, King of Scotland. Soon after coming to Scotland, she married

George Seton, 6th Lord Seton George Seton IV, 6th Lord Seton (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 5th Lord Seton was killed at the battle of Flodden and George ...

. 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, providing an escape from political and religious turmoil. Today it is under the stewardship of ...

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 ...

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, Indre-e ...

. 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. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...

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. ...

, 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 Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

. Little is known of Robert and less of John. Her colleague in the queen's household, Jeanne Delareynveil, married Robert Beaton of

Creich Creich ( gd, Craoich, ) is a substantial parish on the north side of the Dornoch Firth the largest settlement being Bonar Bridge. It lies in Sutherland, Scotland. There is a church (now in ruins) and graveyard for the Parish of Creich. Creich M ...

in 1539, and their daughter

Mary Beaton Mary Beaton (1543–1598) was a Scottish noblewoman and an attendant of Mary, Queen of Scots. She and three other ladies-in-waiting (Mary Livingston, Mary Fleming and Mary Seton) were collectively known as "The Four Marys". Family Mary was bo ...

was another of the celebrated

four Marys "Mary Hamilton", or "The Fower Maries" ("The Four Marys"), is a common name for a well-known sixteenth-century ballad from Scotland based on an apparently fictional incident about a lady-in-waiting to a Queen of Scotland. It is Child Ballad 17 ...

War with England

After the death of James V, Scotland was ruled by

James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

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 Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although mai ...

and then at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...

. 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 best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

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 its break with the Roman Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland, partly to break the ...

. 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, and between two large oil shale bings, or waste heaps. Historically it was known as Niddry Seton or West Niddry to di ...

, warning her that Lord Seton had heard of a plot by

Regent Arran A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...

to kidnap the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. As she mentions she has discussed the plot with

Cardinal Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Bal ...

, 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 council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, east of Linlithgow and northeast of Broxburn. Prehistory and archaeology Archaeological excavations in ...

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 ...

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

. 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, M ...

. 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 t ...

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 daughter ...

married Isobel Hamilton, daughter of Sir William Hamilton of

Sanquhar Sanquhar ( sco, Sanchar, gd, Seanchair) is a village 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 con ...

, who was Captain of

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

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 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 (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 (c. 1510 – 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 ...

is in the collection of

Musée Condé The Musée Condé – 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 c ...

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 Montmor ...

. Cluys had come 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 Jacques de la Brosse (c. 1485–1562), Cup-bearer, cupbearer to the king, was a sixteenth-century French soldier and diplomat. He is remembered in Scotland for his missions in 1543 and 1560 in support of the Auld Alliance. Mission of 1543 After ...

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, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after an English force arrived to attempt to assist in removing the ...

. 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. 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 or Holy Thursday (also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, among other names) is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the ...

, 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 referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, 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 Edinbu ...

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 re-created 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 chief, the Duke of Atholl, ...

with the Countess of Atholl and heard her daughter was ill in England. She wrote from

Dunkeld Dunkeld (, sco, Dunkell, from gd, Dùn Chailleann, "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 t ...

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 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 three essen ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, 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 hi ...

and his representatives. They were released on their promise they would not write to Queen Mary again. The Bishop of Ross, John Lesley, had written to

Regent Lennox Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (21 September 1516 – 4 September 1571) was a leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the paternal grandfather of King James VI of Scotland and I of England. He owned Temple Newsam in Yorkshire, E ...

that she was Mary's special servant and one of her Dames of Honour and should be freed. In October, Queen Elizabeth 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 The Marian civil war in Scotland (1568–1573) was a period of conflict which followed the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her escape from Lochleven Castle in May 1568. Those who ruled in the name of her infant son James VI fought against ...

continued, Marie Pieris stayed in Edinburgh Castle during the "lang siege" and helped

Mary Fleming Mary Fleming () (1542–fl. 1581) 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 collectively known as "The Four Ma ...

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 o ...

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 but 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 Scottish Episcopal Church, it is now part of the ...

in a letter of 20 February 1575. She died in 1576.Rosalind K. Marshall, 'In Search of the Ladies-in-Waiting and Maids of Honour at the Court of Mary, Queen of Scots', Nadine Akkerman & Birgit Houben, ''The Politics of Female Households: Ladies-in-waiting across Early Modern Europe'' (Brill, 2014), pp., 212, 221: Rosalind K. Marshall, ''Queen Mary's Women: Female Relatives, Servants, Friends and Enemies of Mary, Queen of Scots'' (Edinburgh, 2006), p. 157.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pieris, Marie 1576 deaths 16th-century French women 16th-century Scottish women 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: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in Tr ...

People of Falkland Palace Year of birth uncertain