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James Sinclair, 19th Baron, of Rosslyn
d.
- James Sinclair, 19th Baron, of Rosslyn1644 -
Facts and Events
James Sinclair
- Douglass, Robert. The Baronage of Scotland: Containing, An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. (London: Cadell & Davies, 1798), Page 248.
- XIX. James Sinclair of Roslin, was a great loyalist, and suffered many hardships on account of his attachment to the interest of the royal family, whereby he greatly incumbered his estate.
- He married Jean, daughter of Sir Henry Spotswood, sheriff of Dublin, by whom he had many children.
- 1. Alexander, his heir.
- 2. Thomas, who married Elisabeth, daughter of captain Wauchope, a brother of Niddery, by whom he had two sons, 1. James, who had a company in the French service, married a daughter of commissioner Wedderburn, and had issue. 2. Francis, who is a general officer, and has the command of two battalions in the Neapolitan service: This Thomas had also two daughters, the eldest whereof was married to _____ Bower of Methie and Kincaldrum, and was mother of the present Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum.
- James had a daughter, Helen, who married to Henry Ker of Graden, Esq;
- He was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Sinclair, XX.
References
- Douglass, Robert. The Baronage of Scotland: Containing, An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. (London: Cadell & Davies, 1798)
Page 248.
XIX. James Sinclair of Roslin, was a great loyalist, and suffered many hardships on account of his attachment to the interest of the royal family, whereby he greatly incumbered his estate.
He married Jean, daughter of Sir Henry Spotswood, sheriff of Dublin, by whom he had many children.
1. Alexander, his heir.
2. Thomas, who married Elisabeth, daughter of captain Wauchope, a brother of Niddery, by whom he had two sons, 1. James, who had a company in the French service, married a daughter of commissioner Wedderburn, and had issue. 2. Francis, who is a general officer, and has the command of two battalions in the Neapolitan service: This Thomas had also two daughters, the eldest whereof was married to _____ Bower of Methie and Kincaldrum, and was mother of the present Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum.
James had a daughter, Helen, who married to Henry Ker of Graden, Esq;
He was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Sinclair, XX.
- Saint-Clair, Roland William. The Saint-Clairs of the Isles: being a history of the sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the surname of Sinclair. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978)
Pages 286 to 296.
XIII JAMES SAINTCLAIRE
Who succeeded his brother, had redeemed the estate several years before, to which end his wife, who was also nearly related to him, did much contribute. Hay records: "He was in his youth bound apprentice in London, thereafter he went to France, where he spent some years with Mr. Monteith, author of "The Troubles of Great Britain", who was settled in the beginning with M. de la Porte, Great Prieur of France and Knight of Malta, as I have heard of the present Duke of Mazarine, his nephew, son to the Marechal de la Mailleraye. After the Great Prieur's death, he entered into the service of the Cardinal de Rets, Coadjutor of Paris, then Archbishop of Corinth, to whom Roslin dedicated his Book of the "Troubles of Brittany", being left his heir. After Mr. Monteith's death he applyed himself to, my Lord Rutherford, Viscount of Teviott; he stayed some years with him as his Secretary at Dunkirk, whilst the fortifications were perfiting, and at Tangiers in Africa. Thereafter he was made Commissar of Shetland, and after my father's death he espoused my mother, Mrs. Jean, daughter to Sir Henry Spotswood (Sheriff of Dublin), who bore to him -
JAMES, born 8th March 1671, who was Page of Honour to Queen Marie and Cornet of her Guards in Parker's Company. He was killed at the Boyne, fighting for King James in Ireland. His death gave rise to the quatrain in an "Orange Song":-
"St.Clair is dead,
And all his men are from the battle fled;
As he rode down the hill he met his fall,
He died a victim to a cannon-ball."
ALEXANDER, next of Roslin, born 30th November 1672.
THOMAS, born 4th March 1676; married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Wachope. Issue -
JAMES, in French army, married a daughter of Commissioner Wedderburn.
FRANCIS, a General in the Neapolitan service.
A daughter, married to Bower of Methie and Kincaldrum.
A daughter.
HELEN, born 15th March 1670; married Henry Kerr of Gredane in the Merse.
ANNA, born 20th February 1674; died at the age of nine, by the negligence of Mr. Davidson, a seminary priest.
"Roslin, their father was a very civil and discreet man. He dealt with us that were children of the first marriage, begotten by Mr. George Hay, very kindly, notwithstanding that he scattered us far off after his marriage, sending the one to France, another to England, and a third to sea. He was much taken up with building, and addicted to the Priests; those two inclinations spoiled his fortune. He died in a good age, and with the reputation of an honest man; yet I have perceived in examining his papers after his death, that he was too easy, and that his correspondents at Rouen, Mr. Alexander at Paris, Lady Magdalene Creichton, one of the heirs of Francis Irvine, and the Scots Mission of Seminary Priests, have imposed on him, which goodness of his brought, after his death, some trouble to my mother. He acquired a brae at Gorton, with a design to imparke the wood; he built a well about the College and the garden towards the Lynne; he built also the fore part of the Castle on the left hand entering the drawbridge, upon which his arms and name are seen conjunctly with my mother's engraven on a stone. He built likewise the legions of the bridge on the Water of Esk, under the Castle, with a gate to stop the passengers, with several other parcels of walls about the parks and other buildings. He was made Burgess of Edinburgh by Provost Currie, notwithstanding that he was Roman Catholic. It was by his means that one Bruse, who had married a Flemender, was employed to bring in water to the sever all fountains of Edinburgh. The same brought in water in lead pipes to the inner court of the Castle of Roslin, and to the lower vaults. My mother, after his death, sent James and Alexander, her children, to Paris, under the government of Mr. Davidsone. They stayed sometime in a French Pension near to the College of Lysieux; thereafter they were confined to the Scots College by the Missionaries advice. Whilst they were there the Duchess of York was willing to accept of both of them for her pages. Mr. Innes, then principal, as I think, being unwilling to let them both return home at once, hindered their fortune. He detained Alexander, next Laird of Roslin, with him at Paris, and allowed the other to return to Scotland. He was made page at his coming to the country, and his brother remaining abroad, the other place designed for him was filled up by another
When my goodfather was buried, his corps seemed to be entire at the opening of the cave, but when they came to touch his body it fell into dust; he was laying in his armour, with a red velvet cap all his head on a flat stone; nothing was spoiled except a piece of the white furring that went round the cap, and answered to the hinder part of the head. All his predecessors were buried after the same manner in their armour. Late Roslin, my goodfather, was the first that was buried in a coffin, against the sentiments of King James the Seventh, who was then in Scotland, and several other persons well versed in antiquity, to whom my mother would not hearken, thinking it beggarly to be buried after that manner. The great expenses she was at in burying her husband occasioned the sumptuary acts which were made in the following Parliaments".
Lady Roslin petitioned James the Seventh and his Queen for some compensation for the great losses sustained by the Rosslyns during their loyal adhesion to the royal cause, such as would enable her to make needful reparations to the Chapell and Castle of Roslin. The petitions made recital of the injury done to Roslin Castle when defending it against the artillery of General Monk, and that by adhering to King James the Fifth's dowager and his daughter. Mary Queen of Scots, the then Roslin had been obliged to sell the lands of Herbertshire, Pentland, Morton, and Mortonhall, These petitions were of little use, and all she succeeded in getting was a commission for her son as Cornet of the Guards. Her second son succeeded to Roslin:
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