From an inventory of the writs of Dunipace it appears that Alexander had a charter on November 20, 1495, from the Abbot of Cambuskenneth, which was confirmed by Pope Alexander II by a commission dated at Rome, April 5, 1496.

In 1512 he was chosen arbitrator in a violent quarrel between the 5th Lord Livingstone and his son, Alexander.

In one of the charters to him under the Great Seal of Scotland, dated December 24, 1521, the name of his wife is stated to be Alison Gourlay, and his son, Alexander, is also named.

The Burgh Records of Stirling show that he was a member of the Town Council of Stirling in 1527-8.

By his wife, Alison Gourlay, he had two sons, David and 'Mr.' Alexander. The elder son, David, died during the lifetime of his father, before April 14, 1525, leaving a son, Alexander.

This Alexander was really the heir by blood, and in various deeds up to the year 1529, he is designed "grandson and heir apparent" of Alexander Livingston of Dunipace. For some reason, either he or his father was disinherited in favour of Mr. Alexander Livingstone of Fildes, 2nd son of Alexander Livingstone, 1st of Dunipace. Possibly Mr. Alexander of Fildes purchased the property of Dunipace from his father.

and Alexander Livingston of Phildes was the younger son of Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar the son of Sir John de Livingston of Callendar...

Alexander Livingstone, 1st of Dunipace, was succeeded by his second son, "Mr" Alexander, 2nd of Dunipace.

This Laird seems to have been a man of considerable ability and rose to a higher official position than any other member of the family. Choosing law as his profession, he was made Director of the Chancery in 1549, and an Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1550, when he took the title of Lord Dunipace.

In 1552, he had confirmation of a charter under the Great Seal, of the lands of Philde, Perthshire, and in this charter we get proof of his descent from the forfeited Alexander Livingstone of Philde who is therein designated "avus of the said Alexander Livingstone of Dunipace".

Lord Dunipace married, before 1525, Elizabeth Hepburn, daughter of Sir Adam Hepburn of Craigs, second son of Adam, 2nd Lord Hailes. By her he had a son, James, who died ca 1531 without issue and a son, John, who succeeded him.

John Livingstone, 3rd of Dunipace, succeeded to the estate on the death of his father in 1560. In 1578 there is a record of approbation of his services to Queen Mary and the young King, and in 1592 he had a ratification of lands and heritages to himself, his son John, and his grandson, also John.

He married Margaret Elphinstone, daughter of Alexander, 2nd Lord Elphinstone, by his wife the Hon. Catherine Erskine, daughter of John, Lord Erskine, Earl of Mar. By her he had John, his heir, James of Cauldhame, Patrice (ancestor of the Livingstones of Balrownie) and a daughter, Elizabeth.

John, 4th of Dunipace, was constantly in trouble. On 11th July 1573, certain "hynds" raise a complaint against him before the Lords of the Secret Council for "having reft and spuilyeit them of diverse cattell and gudis". In 1577, he and William Menteith of West Kerse were imprisoned, the one in Doune and the other in Blackness, for disturbing "his Hienes peace and the publict quietness of this realme . . . as thoch thair wer na law nor justice within our realme for decisioun of thair querrellis and controversiis".

In 1578, John Livingstone, younger of Dunipace, is the injured party. He, having been appointed His Majesty's Chamberlain of Biggar, and Keeper of the place and fortalice of Cumbernauld, Fleming of Biggar will not "rander and deliver the same" to him. In 1584, he was mixed up with the Raid of Ruthven, and was summoned to appear before the King for certain "crymes" of treason. He was one of the rebel leaders who, with Angus, Mar and Glamis, were charged to surrender the Castle and Burgh of Stirling to the King in that year. In 1595, he was implicated with Bruce, younger of Airth, in the slaughter of "Vingle David Forrestier, burgess of Striuiling", in "deidlie feud".

In a ballad of the time, which was the outcome of a tragedy in which his daughter, the ill-fated Jean Livingstone, was the principal figure, he is alluded to as "Great Dunipace", which shows he had the power of impressing his fellows. His daughter, Jean Livingstone, was born in 1579. She was married about the age of fifteen to John Kincaid of Warristoun. He seems to have treated her in a most brutal manner, and at last brought upon himself the terrible retribution of "love turned to hate". Listening to the suggestions of her nurse, Lady Warristoun sanctioned the murder of her husband. He was done to death while in bed by the nurse and a groom on the 2nd of July, 1600. Lady Warristoun is said to have been very beautiful, and only twenty-one years of age when the murder was committed. The reason for the murder was stated to be "deidlie rancor, haitred and malice, against uinquhile Johnne Kincaid of Warristoun, for the allegit byting of her in the arme and streking her dyvers times". Lady Warristoun was executed in Edinburgh on 5th July, 1600, at four o'clock in the morning. Her father had great influence at Court, but she is said to have declined all efforts to save her life. The youth and high rank of the lady, her grievous provocation and repentance, excited an interest in the public mind such as few murder cases had ever done before. On account of her rank she was beheaded by the "Maiden", one of her relatives holding her hands while the axe fell. The nurse was burnt alive, and the groom, who at first escaped, when captured four years later, was broken on the wheel. This event gave rise to the ballad called "The Laird of Warristoun". The "gloomy house of Warristoun hainging over a deep black pool" was a fitting place for such a tragedy as this.

John Livingstone, 4th of Dunipace, as we learn from a charter under the Great Sealf (1588) had been in attendance on James VI since that King's earliest years, and was an intimate friend and favourite of the King. If there is any truth in the traditions preserved in the ballad of "The Laird of Warristoun", King James was in great distress about Jean Livingstone's sad fate and the sorrow of her father, who considered his blood to be forever dishonoured.

In 1601, the Privy Council Register states that James VI was staying at the Place of Dunipace. In 1606 John Livingstone was one of the jury appointed to try the six Presbyterian ministers at Linlithgow at the instance of James VI. John Livingstone not only absolved them from being guilty of treason, but maintained that they were all "honest ministers, faithful servants of Jesus Christ, and good subjects of the King". It is said that James was afterwards weak enough to resent Dunipace's independent judgment.

David, 5th of Dunipace, had a charter of these lands, 18th February, 1620. He was in Parliament in 1621. In 1627 he was imprisoned for riotous behaviour in Court. He had had very high words with James Crichton of Bensheills. The Register of the Privy Council states that James Crichton charged Dunipace that he hade "colluded with the mother of Johne Livingstone of Dunluppie, to the prejudice of his hous", and "that Dunipace tooke exceptioun at the word colluding". Crichton having answered that "he would mainteane it and make it good, Dunipace gave him the lee; whairupon both pairteis fell out in suche irreverent speeches, the one against the uther, that the Erle of Linlithgow could not move thame to be silent". Although he had "commandit thame both to keepe thair hous, notwithstanding thairof, they had brokin their waird and come furth, and as the Erle is informed, hes directed cartalls one to another". The affair ended by the Lords finding - "that both parteis hes caried thameselves verie injuriouslie one to another and most undewtifullie in the presence of the Earl of Linlithgow, his Majesteis Counseller" - (the Lords) ordain both "to be committit to the Castell of Edinburgh". Before leaving the Court the two lairds took a great and solemn oath "not to challenge one another nor make provocation". They were soon liberated.

Sir David, in spite of his fiery temper, was a useful member of society. He was appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Manufactures, and his opinion was asked about the relief of the poor. He was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia, 30th May, 1625, and received a grant of land which Sir William Alexander of Menstrie (afterwards Earl of Stirling), the locum tenens, resigned.

These lands were erected into the barony of Livingstone-Dunipace. During the last few years of his life, Sir David must have lost most of his property, as his son inherited nothing from him, and does not appear to have assumed the baronetcy.

In 1630 there is a charter to Mr. Alexander Livingstone, advocate, who evidently held a "wadset" over the lands, and we find when the estate was sold in 1634, that Adam Livingstone, brother-german of Mr. Alexander Livingstone, advocate, resigned the lands.

Instead in the year 1634 in England he signed his name to an agreement with his father's creditors that granted him one year to come up with the money to pay off his father's debts. Apparently he failed to do this as in 1635 the lands of Dunipace were granted to Sir Robert Spotswood....

In other words, John did not sell the lands to Robert... John apparently lost the lands due to being unable to pay off his father David's debts. Afterwards Robert was granted the lands by whomever had control over them ...