Sir John Bellenden of Auchnole and Broughton (died 1 October 1576) was, before 1544, Director of Chancery, and was appointed Lord Justice Clerk on 25 June 1547, succeeding his father Thomas Bellenden of Auchnoule. John was knighted before April 1544.
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Career
With Sir Robert Carnegie, he agreed an indenture with English commissioners for peace on the Scottish border at Berwick upon Tweed. In 1555 Sir John Bellenden audited accounts for fortifications built by Mary of Guise at Inchkeith. He was a Commissioner for the Treaty of Peace with Anna of Oldenburg, signed at Aberdeen 19 October 1556 confirmed by Mary, Queen of Scots, 26 September 1557. With James MacGill, he prepared a short guide to Scottish law, the Discours Particulier D'Escosse, written in French for Mary, Queen of Scots, and Francis II of France.
After the Siege of Leith, in the articles of the Treaty of Edinburgh, Bellenden was nominated to negotiate the French withdrawal from Scotland on behalf of the Lords of the Congregation.
His brother, Patrick Bellenden of Stenhouse was present at the murder of David Rizzio at Holyrood Palace. Rizzio hid behind Mary, Queen of Scots. John Bellenden was suspected of involvement in the conspiracy. According to Mary, Patrick Bellenden pointed his gun at her pregnant belly. Anthony Standen later wrote that Patrick had threatened the Queen with a dagger. At Mary's orders, Patrick was driven out of Scotland and Orkney by Gilbert Balfour and others. According to the report of Thomas Randolph and the Earl of Bedford, John Bellenden was a suspect on account of his brother's actions. They heard he was replaced as Justice Clerk.