| He succeeded to the title on the death of his father, but apparently not to the estates until the death of his mother. In 1515 the Orcadians elected Sir James Sinclair, natural son of Sir William Sinclair of Warsetter, as their leader, withheld the rents due to Lady Sinclair, and forced Lord Sinclair to surrender the Castle of Kirkwall and to flee into Caithness ; but in 1529 he received a letter from the King instructing him to invade Orkney and deprive Sir James of his usurped governorship. With the assistance of John, Earl of Caithness, he collected a force, landed in Orkney, and encountered the Islesmen at Summerdale, where the Earl was killed with five hundred of his men, and he himself taken prisoner.10 |
| On his own resignation he had a charter of confirmation to him and his spouse Elizabeth Keith of the lands of Newburgh and fishings of Eythan on 17 April 1524, in 1543 he had sasine in the baronies of Dysart and Ravenscraig, and, on his own resignation, a charter to him and his spouse of the lands of Wiltstoun, Oarberry, and Balbeggy in Fife, on 28 June 1547. He had a remission under the Privy Seal, on 23 October 1542, for assisting George, Lord Home, and David Home of Wedderburn in their rebellion. In 1544 he signed the agreement to support the authority of the Queen-Mother as Regent against the Earl of Arran.11 |