John Sinclair (d. 1566)
Encyclopedia
John Sinclair was an Ordinary Lord and later Lord President in the Court of Session
. He married Mary, Queen of Scots to Lord Darnley.
. John was a younger brother of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross, and their sister Margaret was married to Robert Lauder, of The Bass (d. June 1576). In a Precept of Clare Constat (GD122/1/340, NAS) dated May 2, 1566, John [Sinclair], Bishop of Brechin, is referred to as "maternal uncle of Robert Lauder of Popple, knight, heir of Robert Lauder of Bass, and Margaret Sinclare, sister of Robert Sinclare of Over Liberton".
Before December 1537 he was Prebendary of Corstorphine
. Afterwards, as Rector of Snaw, John Sinclair was admitted as an Ordinary Lord in the Court of Session
on April 27, 1540. He was afterwards appointed by King James V
, confirmed by a Bull of Pope Paul III
dated August 27, 1542, as Dean of the Church of St. Mary of Restalrig
, a valuable benefice
stated to be £60 sterling. He attended his brother Henry to France in 1564, and brought back with him to Scotland the materials which Henry had amassed for a continuation of Boece
's History of Scotland. He also succeeded Henry as Lord President of the Court of Session. Shortly after July 1565 he was promoted to the Episcopal See
of Brechin
, but did not long enjoy the dignity, dying the following year.
on 29 July 1565.
in Edinburgh, and one of them is stated by Ruddiman, in an Introductory Note, to have been transcribed from the original MSS, then in the possession of Lord Pitmedden. The decisions commence on June 1, 1540 and are continued until May 28, 1549.
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
. He married Mary, Queen of Scots to Lord Darnley.
Family
He was the fourth son of Sir Oliver Sinclair of Roslin (d. after April 11, 1510) by his spouse Margaret, daughter of William Borthwick, 2nd Lord BorthwickWilliam Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick
William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick was a Scottish ambassador to England.The son of William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick, he served as ambassador to England on 13 July 1459, where he is included in a Safe-conduct of that date as "William lord Borthwik" with numerous other nobles, clerics, and a...
. John was a younger brother of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross, and their sister Margaret was married to Robert Lauder, of The Bass (d. June 1576). In a Precept of Clare Constat (GD122/1/340, NAS) dated May 2, 1566, John [Sinclair], Bishop of Brechin, is referred to as "maternal uncle of Robert Lauder of Popple, knight, heir of Robert Lauder of Bass, and Margaret Sinclare, sister of Robert Sinclare of Over Liberton".
Career
Douglas writes: "Dr.John Sinclair, bred to the church, a man of great piety and learning, and for his extraordinary knowledge of our laws, was first appointed one of the Ordinary Lords of Session, then Lord President 'in his brother's place' [handwritten note in margin]. He was 'Dean of Restalrig near Edinburgh and was' [handwritten note in margin] afterwards preferred to the Bishoprick of Brechin".Before December 1537 he was Prebendary of Corstorphine
Corstorphine
Corstorphine was originally a village to the west of—and separate from—Edinburgh, Scotland, and is now a suburb of that city.Corstorphine retains a busy main street with many independent small shops, although a number have closed in recent years since the opening of several retail parks...
. Afterwards, as Rector of Snaw, John Sinclair was admitted as an Ordinary Lord in the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
on April 27, 1540. He was afterwards appointed by King James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, confirmed by a Bull of Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
dated August 27, 1542, as Dean of the Church of St. Mary of Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
, a valuable benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
stated to be £60 sterling. He attended his brother Henry to France in 1564, and brought back with him to Scotland the materials which Henry had amassed for a continuation of Boece
Boëcé
Boëcé is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-Changes in population:-See also:*Communes of the Orne department*...
's History of Scotland. He also succeeded Henry as Lord President of the Court of Session. Shortly after July 1565 he was promoted to the Episcopal See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Brechin
Brechin
Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...
, but did not long enjoy the dignity, dying the following year.
Marriage of the Queen
As Dean of Restalrig, he had the honour of marrying Mary, Queen of Scots to Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley in Holyrood AbbeyHolyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded...
on 29 July 1565.
Works
There is speculation as to whether the work entitled Sinclair's Practicks should be attributed to him or his brother Henry. There are two manuscript copies of this work preserved in the Advocates' LibraryAdvocates' Library
The Advocates' Library is a law library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, founded in 1682. Until 1925 it was the deposit library for Scotland, after which the role was taken on by the National Library of Scotland....
in Edinburgh, and one of them is stated by Ruddiman, in an Introductory Note, to have been transcribed from the original MSS, then in the possession of Lord Pitmedden. The decisions commence on June 1, 1540 and are continued until May 28, 1549.