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IX SIR WILLIAM SAINTCLAIR OF ROSLIN

who in that year was retoured to the barony, Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairn, Edward Sinclair of Dryden, and John Sinclair of Blans, being present. He redeemed the lands of Cathilton from his brother Sir Mathew in 1558, and the next year, 1559, was appointed by Marie, Queen-Dowager of Scotland, Justiciary of the Lothians. He sided with Mary, Queen of Scots, at Langside, in 1568, for which he obtained a remission in 1574. In 1570 he was confirmed in his office of Justiciary. On the 1st September, 1567, the King, with advice and consent of the Regent and Lie Lords of Secret Council, required inter alia William Sinclair of Roslin to deliver his house of Roslin within twenty-four hours. On the 26th April 1569, Sir William Sinclair, of Roslin, Knight; James Forester, of Corstorphine; Master John Marjoribanks; and George Ramsay, of Dalhousie, became surety that Roslin shall presently rarder and deliver to George Sinclair in Ley, samekill of his goods as is presently undisponit, intrometed with by the said William or any at his command, as good as the same were the time of the intromission therewith; and for anything that wants, the said persons are become surety for rendering and restitution thereof, or the avail of the same, betwix and the 29th day of May next, and the said William obleist him to relieve. And the said George Sinclair renounced the summonds and action of spoil that he may have against the said William for the goods spoilt or intrometed with be him, or any at his command, pertaining to the said George. The quhilk [which] day the said Roslin and George Crauford of Lesnoreis assured each of them for them and all others that they may let, quhill [while] my Lord R. Grace give his decree and decln, upon the blank subscribed by the said parties. Sic subscribitur William Sinclair of Roslin, Knight, - George Ramsay of Dalhousie - Corstorphine - Mr. John Marjoribanks.

He appends his seal to the charter of Dominus Johannes Robeson, praepositus de Roslin, 26th February 1571, which is also subscribed by Henricus Sinclar prebendarius. On the 28th April 1571, with his consent, Dominus Johannes Dickson, praepositus of Roslin, executed a charter concerning Roslin lands, to which William Sinclair, brother-german [full brother] of Sir William Sinclair, of Herminston, Knight, is a witness. On the 6th July 1573, he was charged to produce certain gold buttons belonging to the King's mother, of which he denied receipt; on the 18th August same, he was charged to enter his pledge in the matter of David Bell, of which obligation he was relieved on the 31st August. In 1574, he and John Sinclair in Gosfuird, obtained a remission for their being present at Langside in 1568, and the same year he resigned his lands in favour of his eldest son Edward: On 12th October 1590, there was Registration of Caution that Roslin will not harm John Crichton of Brunston, and on the 10th idem Crichton entered into Caution to the like effect with reference to Roslin. Roslin was denounced as rebel 2nd August 1591, for having failed to appear, and on the 10th idem Caution for him was subscribed before Oliver Sinclair, of Ravensneuk, and Henry Sinclair, of Whitekirk; while on the 10th August 1604, Roslin had to enter Caution not to harm Ravensneuk.

Sir William gathered a great many manuscripts, which had been taken by the rabble out of our monasteries in the time of the Reformation, whereupon we find as yet his name written thus: "Sir William Sinclar, of Roslin, Knight; he delivered once an Egyptian from the gibbet in the Burrow Moore, ready to be strangled, returning from Edinburgh to Roslin, upon which accompt the whole body of gypsies, were, of old, accustomed to gather in the stanks of Roslin every year, where they acted several plays, during the month of May and June. There are two towers which were allowed them for their residence, the one called Robin Hood, the other Little John".

Sir William gave a charter to William Lord Borthwick in 1578, to which an Oliver Saintcler is a party, and the sasine following thereon in 1581 issues from Oliver Sinclare of Wester Ravensneuk, by virtue of letters from William Saintclaire. Sir William inhibits James Lord Borthwick and other tenants in Caton Milne the 8th January 1582; and on the 1st November following he required Lord James, his vassal and ward, to complete and solemnise the bond of matrimony with either his eldest daughter Elspeth or his third daughter Helen Saintclair. Among the witnesses to this instrument were Edward Sinclair of Dryden, his brother, and Oliver Sinclair of Wester Ravensneuk. On the 22nd December 1582, he disponed to his son William the lands of Caton. From various incidents in connection with the Roslin-Borthwick litigation it would seem that Sir William was alive as late as the 1st June 1602.

It is stated in Nisbet's Heraldry that he married Elizabeth or Isabel, daughter of Sir Walter Ker of Cessford, while Hay has it that he married - Lindesay, daughter to the Laird of Egle, brother-german [full brother] to the Earl of Crawford, by whom he had with three daughters (Elspeth, Isobell, and Helen) two sons -

  1. EDWARD, married to Christian, daughter of George Douglas of Parkhead, Governor of Edinburgh Castle, by whom he had no issue. He had obtained a charter of Roslin on the resignation of his father in 1574. Before his marriage he had chosen curators, and thereafter when he was over twenty-one years, being childless, in 1582 he resigned the barony in favour of his brother-german [full brother] William, a witness to the Deed of Resignation being Henry Sinclair of Whitekirk. Upon this, litigation ensued, for at Edinburgh, 4th May 1583, entry is found for Caution in £400 by Sir William Sinclair of Roslin and William his second son as principals, Manis Sinclair of the Leyis and Mr. John Henrysone of Drydane as sureties that Christiane Douglas, daughter of George Douglas of Parkhead, her tenants and servants of the lands of Herbertshire, said to belong to her in conjunct fee, shall be scaithless. On the 15th same she prefers complaint that her husband, Edward Sinclair, fiar [heir apparent] of Roslin, had been abducted and kept captive in Roslin to his own prejudice, and also to that of her dower, etc. On the 23rd September following there is caution for Edward Sinclair that Christian Douglas his spouse shall have peaceable access to him at Roslin.
  2. WILLIAM, next of Roslin.
Sir William was succeeded in the representation by his second son William.

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