General Notes

Alexander Nisbet (1722) states that this Sir William Sinclair [sic] was one of the subscribers of the famous Letter by the nobility of Scotland to the Pope, in the reign of Robert the Bruce [1306-1329]; and that in the reign of Alexander III [1249-1286] was Sheriff of Edinburgh, and afterwards one of the arbitrators betwist The Bruce and Baliol.
He adds that Sir William and his son Henry subsequently swore allegiance to Edward I of England and quotes Prynne's Collect.p301. Amongst the gentry of Berwickshire also said to have sworn allegiance was a Gregory Sinclair whom Nisbet alleges was the brother of Henry and the first of the family of Sinclair of Longformacus.


Another reference on this famous family is "The Saint-Clairs of the Isles" by Roland William Saint-Clair, Auckland, 1898.