In Burke's Peerage, Article Earls of Caithness, has it that he was appointed viscount (sheriff) of the County of Edinburgh for life in 1271; but the "Memorial of the ancient family of St.Clair of Roslin" sets forth that "He executed the office of high-sheriff of the shire of Edinburgh in the 30th year of Alexander III anno 1278". [From Nisbet's Heraldry].
There are several notices of Sir William in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where he figures as sheriff of various shires from 1264 to 1290, that is: Haddington, 1264-66; Linlithgow, 1264; Edinburgh, 1266; Dumfries, 1288; Edinburgh, 1288-90; and Linlitligow, 1290. In 1288 be was allowed 18 shillings 4 pence for wages to a gardener at Haddington and outlay on garden, but notified that he must in future keep the garden at his own cost. He was Justiciarius Galwythie 1288-89, and in 1288 returned his lucra for one year as 9 pounds, 1 shilling and 8 pence He figures as Guardian of the Prince of Scotland 1279-8 This is shown by the following letters from Prince Alexander of Scotland to his uncle Edward I of England: - Alexander his nephew, and first born son of Alexander King of Scotland, to his most hearty uncle the King, expresses the warmest affection for himself, the Queen and their children, and wishes to hear of them more frequently. He prays him to grant the petition which Sir Ingram de Umfraville is about to make for the lands of his late father Sir Robert de Umfraville on whose behalf his lord father has also written. He believes the King will be glad to hear good news of himself and kindred, and having no seal of his own he appends that of Sir William de St.Clair his guardian (29th March 1279). Again, about 1281, Alexander his consanguineous, first-born of Alexander, King of Scotland, to his uncle the King, as he is greatly delighted to hear of his health begs him to send accounts of it oftener and assures him of his own well-being, having no seal of his own he appends that of Sir William de St.Clair his guardian.
With regard to his ancestry, the History of the St.Clairs, [Van Bassan, fabulist], while doubtless recording many incidents based on facts, is considerably at variance with contemporary annals. The best theory seems to be that this Sir William was second son to the Robert de Saintclair in Normandy who married Eleanor, relict of Hugh, Lord of Chateaunef, daughter to Robert, the second Earl of Dreux in France, by Joland of Coucy. [from Hay's Genealogie].
Crossing to Scotland, he became a great favourite with King Alexander, who bestowed on him the baxter lands of Innerleith on the 8th April 1280; while on the 14th September following, on the resignation of Henry of Roskelyn, he acquired from King Alexander a further charter of the lands and barony of Rosslyn, to be held for half a knight's service. [From Van Bassan, fabulist].
Father Hay thinks that Sir William obtained with the lands of Innerleith the appointment or office of Panetarius. Although the office was also held by his successor Sir Henry, it does not seem to have been hereditary, as in 1348 it had gone to John Comyn, Earl of Menteith, and thereafter upon his forfeiture to the Moray family. [From Nisbet's Heraldry]
Monsieur Baron, in his Art of Heraldry, gives us the arms of the Comte de Cosse, Grand Paneter of France, who as the badge of that office carries (says he) below his shield, on the dexter [right] side thereof, a cup, and on the sinister [left] a standish with pen and ink. [From Nisbet's Heraldry]
The foregoing digression is inserted to account for the confusion in Hay's Genealogie in applying incidents such as the office of cupbearer to a Sir William St.Clair of the time of Malcolm Canmore, being evidently an antedating of the Sir William, Pantier du Roi of the time of Alexander III. The charter of 1280 is the earliest record of the connection of the St.Clairs with Roslin, unless the previous owners were also of the same surname, which is not clear. A Thomas de Roslyn attests a charter granted by Robert de Monteforte (see Chartulary of Arbroath), and Roger of Roselyn attests several charters of William of Lysuris, Laird of Gourton. [from Hay's Genealogie].
About the same time Sir William St.Clair acquired the Temple lands of Gourton from Walter fitz Stephen de Melville, which lands are further referred to in a charter from Thomas Modok to (his son) John, and in the attestation thereto are Dominus Willielmus de Sancto Claro, miles, and Henricus de Sancto Claro. [from Hay's Genealogie].
Sir William sat in the Scottish Parliament at Scone, 5th February 1283-4, when the succession to the crown of Scotland was settled in the event of the demise of King Alexander III [Burke's Peerage, Article Earl of Caithness]
In 1284 one William de Saint Clair is joined with William de Hamilton as keeper of the Bishopric of Winchester in England, which had become void by the death of Nicholas de Ely. [from Hay's Genealogie].
The association with a name hereafter so essentially Scottish as Hamilton supports the inference that the William St.Clair whom King Edward designates custos nostros Episcopatus Wintoniensis tunc vacantis, was from north of the Tweed. The next year, 1285, Sir William was one of the Scottish embassy to France to escort back the Queen-elect, Joleta of Dreux, daughter of Robert, fourth Earl of Dreux, and Beatrix, only daughter of John, Earl of Montfort. The other members of the embassy were: Thomas Charteris, Chancellor of Scotland; Sir Patrick Graham, and Sir John Soulis. [from Hay's Genealogie, Balfour's Annals, etc.]
It will be observed that if Sir William was, as is assumed, the son of Robert de St.Clair, who married Eleanor de Dreux, the relict of Hugh, Lord of Chateaunef, then was he nearly related to both Alexander III and Joleta of Dreux, for Marie de Coucy, Queen of Scotland and mother of Alexander III, was niece to Jolanda of Coucy, wife of Robert II, Earl of Dreux, who had issue Eleanor aforesaid, espoused by Robert de St.Clair. In brief, Robert de St.Clair married Eleanor de Dreux, cousin to Alexander III of Scotland, which sufficiently explains the visit of Sir William "the Seemly" to that country, his appointment as (Cup-bearer) Panitarius, his favour with King and Queen, to both of whom he was so closely allied [see sketch] his return to France on the embassy mentioned, and his acquisition of lands and honours. The "History of the Saint Clairs" - written in Saga form - assigns these incidents to a period contemporary with William, Conqueror of England, instead of the later temporary Conqueror of Scotland - Edward I. The mistake has been perpetuated by subsequent genealogists. In the Innerleith and Roslin grants of 1280 there is no territorial designation given to Sir William, which supports the inference of his being first of his line to settle on Scottish soil. In the celebrated letter to Edward I from the community of Scotland, dated at Bergham, 1289, amongst the barons is Guillam de Seincler. Sir William was appointed to take fealties in Galloway in 1291; and on 12th January 1292, Edward I of England issued an order to William de St.Clair and William de Boyville to take the fealty of the Bishop of Whithern, and thereafter with the Bishop those of all Galloway. (Amongst those enumerated in the Submission and Fealty sworn by the generality of the Scots Nation to King Edward I of England, in 1292, 1296, 1297, etc. is a Willielmus de Sancto Claro. His seal thereto displays the Merse cognisance of the three boars' heads. Nisbet's Heraldry remarks on this person that he takes this gentleman to be of a branch of the Sinclairs, but neither the families of Roslin or Hermiston).
Soon after the meeting of the Estates of Scotland at Brigham, Edward I of England secured to his interests two of the Scottish Regents. By this measure he trusted that he could over-rule their deliberations; and grown confident in his power, he intimated to the Estates "that certain rumours of dangers and perils to the Kingdom of Scotland having reached his ears, be judged it right that all castles and places of strength in that kingdom should be delivered up to him. This demand effectually roused the Scots, and Sir William Sinclair, Sir Patrick Grahame, and Sir John Soulis, three knights who had been high in the confidence of Alexander III, with the other Captains of the Scottish castles, peremptorily refused in the name of the community of Scotland to deliver its fortresses to anyone but their Queen and her intended husband, for whose behoof they were ready to bind themselves by oath to keep and defend them. With this firm reply Edward had to be satisfied; and, sensible that he had over-rated his influence, he patiently awaited the arrival of the young Queen. Edward's scheme for the subjugation of Scotland was not yet completed; but all had hitherto succeeded according to his wishes. He had procured the acknowledgment of a claim of superiority over that kingdom, which if Baliol should refuse to become the creature of his ambition, gave him a special title to compel obedience as Lord Paramount. By holding out the prospect of a crown to the various competitors, and by many rich grants of estates and salaries to the prelates and the nobility, he had succeeded in securing them to his interest; and if any feelings of indignation, any spirit of ancient freedom and resistance remained, the apparent hopelessness of fighting for a country which seemed to have deserted itself, and against a prince of so great a genius as Edward, effectually stifled it for the present.
His various grants receive illustration from the "Rotuli Scotiae", volume 1, page 24 et passim.
He gave the Bishop of Glasgow an obligation to bestow on him lands to the annual value of £100;
To James the Steward, lands of the same annual value
To Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, lands of £100 annual value
To John de Soulis, lands of 100 marks annual value
William Sinclair, 100 marks annual value
Patrick de Graham, 100 marks annual value
William de Soulis, £100 annual value
All these persons were to have lands of the aforesaid value, "Si contingat Regnum Regi et haeredibus snis remanere". Edward afterwards changed his plan, and gave these barons and prelates gratifications in money or other value. But to John Comyn the King of England gave the large sum of £1,563 14 shillings and 6 ½ pence. ("Rotuli Scotiae", vol. i, page 17, 6th January 1292). He took care, however, to reimburse himself by keeping the wards, marriages, and other items of revenue which had fallen to the Scottish Crown during the interregnum, as may be seen from many places in the "Rotuli Scotiae" [from Tytler]
Sir William next appears as a witness to a charter from John, Abbot of Newbattle, in favour of William Bissett, granted at Berwick-on-Tweed on St.John the Baptist's Eve i.e. 23rd June 1292. Sir William is therein described as Dominus Willielmus de Sancto Claro, tunc vice-comite de Edinburgh, miles. [from Hay's Genealogie]
There is another William de St.Clair on page 51 of Hay's Chartular of Newbattle. [from Hay's Genealogie]
Sir William was one of the nominees on the part of Balliol in the competition for the crown of Scotland. [from Burke's Peerage, Article Earl of Caithness]
Sir William was present at Newcastle-upon-Tyne when John Balliol swore fealty to King Edward, 20th November 1292, [from Tytler] and in the Letters Patent by John Balliol, giving a general release to Edward I, besides his own seal the King of Scots has caused the seals of W1l1iam de St.Clair and others to be appended; and on the 10th same William de St.Clair attests his homage. The last appearance of the Lord of Rosslyn was at the siege of Dunbar, in 1296, of which Tytler says; - "The castle of Dunbar was at this time one of the strongest and by its situation the most important in Scotland. Its lord, Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, served in the army of Edward; but his wife, who held the castle and hated the English, entered into a secret negotiation with the Scottish leaders for its delivery into the hands of her countrymen. The Earls of Ross, Atholl, and Menteith, the Barons John Comyn, WILLIAM SINCLAIR, Richard Seward, and John de Mowbray, with 31 knights and a strong force threw themselves into the place on St.Martin's Day and, assisted by the Countess, easily expelled the few soldiers who remained faithful to England. Edward determined to recover it at all hazards, and despatched the Earl of Surrey with 10,000 foot and 10,000 heavy-armed horse to regain it. When summoned by Warren the garrison agreed to surrender unless relieved in three days; and the Scots, anxious to retain so strong a place, led on the whole of their army and possessed themselves of a strong and excellent position in the high ground above Dunbar, 40,000 foot and 1,500 horse encamped on the heights near Spot; and confident of rescue, the garrison of the castle insulted the English from the walls as if already beaten. Surrey advanced, and some confusion being observable in his ranks was mistaken by the Scots for flight, in their temerity they left their point of vantage only to meet a compact army under perfect discipline, and having in vain endeavoured to regain their ranks, after a short resistance were utterly routed. Surrey's victory was complete, and for the time decided the fate of Scotland. 10,000(?) men fell in the field or in the pursuit. Sir Patrick Graham, one of the noblest and wisest of the Scottish barons, disdained to ask for quarter, and was slain under circumstances which extorted the praise of the enemy. A great multitude, including the principal of the Scottish nobility, were taken prisoners, and next day the King of England coming in person with the rest of his army before Dunbar, the castle surrendered at discretion. The Earls of Atholl, Ross and Menteith, with four barons, seventy knights, and many other brave men submitted to the mercy of the conqueror. All the prisoners of rank were immediately sent in chains to England, where they were for the present committed to close confinement in different Welsh and English castles. After some time the King compelled them to attend him in his wars in France, but even this partial liberty was not allowed them till their sons were delivered into his hands as hostages". In Rotuli Scotiae, volume 1, sub. Ed. I, chapter 25, page 44, a great many of the names of the prisoners will be found, among them being Sir William de St.Clair who is sent to the Tower, Sir Henry St.Clair to St.Briavels Castle, Alexander de St.Clair, Esq. to Windsor, and Reginald de St.Clair, Esq. to Kenilworth Castle (16th May 1296). The "History of the St.Clairs" [Van Bassan] makes him one of the victorious leaders in the triple battle of Roslin, 1302. Little more is known of him except that he may have been "the Seemly St.Clair", who married Agnes, daughter of Patrick Dunbar (1st or 5th) Earl of March, Edward I issued a two years' protection for Amicia, widow of William de St.Clair, dwelling by the King's leave in the county of Edinburgh, 7th April 1299. He left two sons and a daughter -