Livingston was born
c. 1500 in Callendar,
Falkirk, Scotland.[1] He was the eldest surviving son of Agnes (
née Hepburn) Livingston and
William Livingston, 4th Lord Livingston of Callendar, and succeeded his father to the title of Lord Livingston in about 1518. Among his siblings was younger brother William Livingston, Captain of the
Royal Castle of Kirkwall, and younger sister, Margaret Livingston, who married
John Hay, 4th Lord Hay of Yester.[2]
In 1522, Livingston was a commander of the Scottish forces against England. He served as an
Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1542,[4] and as one of the eight Lord Keepers of
Mary, Queen of Scots in her infancy. Lord Livingston became Joint Custodian of the Queen Mary in about 1543. He was paid £813 for keeping the infant queen in
Linlithgow Palace before she moved to
Stirling Castle in July 1543, where he was also her keeper.[5] He served as
Privy Councillor in 1545.[2]
When Queen Mary went to France in 1548, following her betrothal to the
Dauphin,
Francis II, Livingston accompanied her, and remained there until he died.[6]
Helen Livingston, who married James Wetherspune of
Brighouse.[2]
Marion Livingston, who married James Ogilvy of
Findlater.[2]
After the death of his second wife, he married for a third time to Jeanne de Piédefer, a Maid of Honour to
Mary of Guise since 1539.[8]
Lord Livingston died sometime between 25 July 1549 and 4 January 1551.[2]
Jeanne de Piédefer, Lady Livingston
After Lord Livingston's death, a French captain called de Faucher wrote to his widow, Jeanne, "Madame de Levyston", as his "valentine" from
Dumbarton Castle mentioning the arrival of a ship with fine cinnamon. He said he had found a supplier of water-cress and parsley for salads.[9]
Jeanne married Pierre de Joisel, Seigneur de
Saint Rémy-en-Bouzemont et de Betoncourt, squire of the equerry to
Mary of Guise and (in 1560) one of five masters of the household to Mary, Queen of Scots.[2] They returned to France in 1559 but returned to Scotland and England to serve
Mary, Queen of Scots.[10]
They bought the manor of Saint Rémy-en-Bouzemont in July 1559. Their children, Claude (b. 1560), Jacqueline, Jacques (b. 1562), Pierre and Jeanne de Joisel were born and brought up in France.[11] She came to Mary at
Bolton Castle on 8 August 1568 with two women servants and eight male servants.[12]