CAITHNESS. Ill XIX. 1152. 1. Sin George Ciuciiton, of Cairns, s. and h. of Stephen C. of the same, sue. his father before 1-127, was a favourite of James II [S.] l>v whom he was made Hioh Admiral [S.], and was, in the Pari, of 1452, " hcltit " EARL OF CAITHNESS [S.] Uuder that .designation he got a Hoyal charter, S July 1452, of the same. The limitation is said to have been to the heirs male of his body by his then wife, Janet, widow of Sir James Douglas, of Dalkeith, da. of Sir William Borthwick of Borthwick, but, soon after he had obtained the Earldom, he resigned it, into the King's hands, not even reserving his own, liferent. See " Exchequer Rolls" [S.] vol. v., preface cij. He d. in 1455. ("J His Widow was living 9 Oct. 145!). XX. 1455. 1. William (Sinclair), Earl of Orkney [S.], who had sue. his Father in that honour before 1418, was one of the Hos- tages for James I [S.] when allowed to return to Scotland in 1421 ; was Admiral of Scotland and, as such, conveyed the Princess Margaret of Scotland to France on her marriage to the Dauphin (Louis XI) ; was Founder of the Collegiate Church and egnniaite chapel at Rosslyn ill Midlothian, was High Cha.mceli.or [S.], 1454-58 ; and ma, 23 Aug. 1465, er. EARL OF CAITHNESS and LORD SINCLAIR [S.] "to him and his heirs." The isles of Orkney, having, on the marriage of James III [S.], come under the Scotch dominion, he, in 1470, resigned the Earldom of Orkney [S.] to the King, receiving the Castle of Ravenscraig &c. so. Fife in exchange, by charter 17 Sep. 1470. Ho was Ambassador to England 1471-73. He tit. firstly Elizabeth, Dow. Countess OF Buchan [S.], widow (then) of Sir Thomas Stewart, da. of Archibald (Douglas), 4th Earl ok Douglas [S.] by Lady Margaret Stewart, da. of King Robert III [S.]. He m. secondly, before 15 Nov. 1456, Marjory, da. of Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath. He d. in or before 1476, leaving by his 1st wife a s. and h., William Sinclair (>') who .inc. him in such honours and lauds as he had not other- wise disposed of. XXI. 147G. 2. William (Sinclair), Earl of Caithness [S.] in consequence of a resignation to that effect by the late Eavl, to whom he was a yr. s. the,' probably, the 1st s. by the 2nd wife. He obtained a crown charter of the whole lands of the Earldom " to him and his heirs whatsoever, on 7 Dec 1476. He in. Mary, da. of Sir William Keith of Inverugie. He d. 9 Sep. 1513 being killed, with his King, at the battle of Flodden. XXII. 1513. ?j. John (Sinclair), Earl of Caithness [S.], s. and h. He m. beWe 15'27 Elizabeth, da. of William Sutherland of Dnffiis He and 500 of his men were slain in an attempt to recover the Orkneys (to which he alleged he had a right) at Stenncss, 18 May 1529. XXIII. 1529. 4. George (Sinclair), Earl of Caithness [S.], 2nd but 1st surv. s. and h., b. before 14 July 1527, first sat in Pari, in 1542. He resigned his Earldom to the Crown obtaining a novodamus thereof 2 Oct. 1515, with rem. to John Sinclair his s. and h. ap., and his heirs male and assigns, whom failing to the Earl, ( a ) He left issue a son, James, by his 1st wife, and a da., Janet, by his 2nd wife Ex. inform. G. Burnett, Lyon. ( b ) This William Sinclair, was ancestor of the Lords Sinclair [S.]. His Father gave him, in 1459, the Barony of Newburgh co. Aberdeen, but seems, in consequence of his prodigal habits, to have mainly disinherited him, leaving the Earldom of Caithness to one of the sons of his 2nd wife, and the estate of Rosslyu &c. to the other. After his Father's death, however, lie succeeded in effecting an arrangement, by which the lauds in Fife, which had been acquired in compensation for the Earldom of Orkney, were made over to him by his brother, Sir Oliver Sinclair. In a deed, 9 Feb. 1481, this William is called "s. and h. of umquhile William, Earl of Caithness and Lord of Saint Clair." See " Riddell," p. 609, note, and see, also, as to the succession of the Barony of Sinclair [S.], " Exchequer Rolls" [S.] vol. vffi, prefaee xlvij.
