| He is called by various writers third lawful son, but he was undoubtedly illegitimate. As David Sinclare only his name occurs in the Comptroller's accounts for Orkney and Shetland in I486.' He was evidently a man of affairs, and in the service of the Crown. Early in 1497 he was in Norway, and on 3 May of that year there was a payment to a messenger going there 'with the Kingis lettrez to Schir Dauid Sinclar.' By charter, dated at Edinburgh 3 December 1498, the above six lawful sons and seven lawful daughters of Earl William granted ' to their dearest brother. Sir David Sinclair, Knight and fowd of Zetland, for the fraternal love they bore to him, and for good deeds done by him to them, the lands of Sweinbrough, in the lordship of Zetland, and all and sundry their other lands lying in the lordship of Zetland, belonging to them by reason of the death of their father.' On 3 September 1502, King James IV, by letter under his Great Seal, granted to David Sinclare, Knight, a life pension of fifty merks 'for service to be rendered'. As already mentioned. Sir David was in the service of the Crown, and sometime between August 1501 and August 1502 he had gone in a naval expedition to Denmark, sent by King James IV to assist the Danes against the insurgent Norse. On this occasion there was a payment to him of 200 merks out of the accounts of Orkney. Sir David was chamberlain of Ross and of Ardmanach, and keeper of Dingwall Castle, and of Reidcastell.' He was also captain-general of the Castle of Bergen in Norway.' By his will, executed at Tyngwell, ' the aucht daye of the Vesitatione of our Ladye ' (9 July) 1506, he made many bequests, among others, to Lord and Lady Sinclar, and their son and heir. His possessions in land must have been enormous, as besides those left to Lord Sinclair, he left to each of his own sons ' fywe scoir merkes land, and to ilk dochter fyfte,' and to many others many merk lands, but he does not name his children. Sir David must have died before the audit in Exchequer of 14 August 1507.' And from that date till the audit of 21 July 1526, certain arrears of his as chamberlain of Ross appear annually in the Comptroller's accounts, after wliicli latter date they disappear. Sir David Sinclair's elaborate will was in vain; for on 6 February 1523-24 there was a grant under the Privy Seal by King James v. to his ' louit cousigne Margaret Hepburn lady Synclar ... of all ye landis and gudis movable and vnmouable dettis and vyr geir quhatsumeuir quhilkis pertenit to vmquhile Schir Dauid Synclare and now perteuyng to ws as his eschete be ressoun of bastardy becaus ye said vmquhile Schir Dauid wes borne bastard and deit wytout lauchfull ayris of his body gottyn.'3 |