Henry Sinclair 1507/8-1565
Henry SINCLAIR 1507/8-1565
Biographical Note
Henry Sinclair, Dean of Glasgow and later Bishop of Ross, was born in 1507/1508 to Sir Oliver Sinclair of Roslin, Edinburghshire (d. 1513), and his second wife, Isabella Livingstone, and was the Grandson of William Sinclair, third Earl of Orkney and first Earl of Caithness (b. after 1407, d. 1480), notable as the founder of Roslin Chapel. In 1524 he matriculated at St Leonard’s College, St Andrews. He held various offices of the Church including rector of Glasgow 1539, perpetual commendator of the Abbey of Kilwinning in 1541, and Dean of Glasgow in 1550. In 1558 he was appointed President of the Court of Session. He was employed in embassies in England, Flanders and France throughout the 1550s, and as later a Diplomat for Mary Queen of Scots. In 1560 he was appointed Bishop of Ross, and died in France.
Books
Sinclair’s library is one of the largest recorded libraries of a pre-reformation Scottish book owner. Over 112 volumes have survived, containing close to 135 printed works. Of these, half are folio volumes, and 3 are incunabula. His years in Glasgow are described as “rich in book buying” (Cherry, p.14) and no imprint on a Sinclair book bears a date later than 1556. The analysis of his library by Cherry found that it was dominated by French printers and publishers, which make over half his surviving library, 21 of which were purchased between 1550-1556. Cherry describes a further 10 volumes printed in Germany, 8 in Italy, and 1 Scottish. Notably there is only one English item, Censurae printed by Thomas Berthelet in London in 1530. Unusually for the period, Sinclair owned multiples volumes in Greek. His taste tended to be of a contemporary humanist flavour, with 5 different editions of Erasmus. Later 16th and 17th century inscriptions suggest Sinclair’s library was partially dispersed after his death. 38 volumes were part of the foundation collection of Edinburgh University Library, bequeathed by Clement Little in 1580. Many volumes also remained within the Roslin family library. Examples: Aberdeen University Library [https://abdn.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44ABE_INST/1jd70l9/alma990015147530205941 BCL S147].
Characteristic Markings
Sinclair usually signed his name on the title page, above the colophon, though sometimes it is found at the beginning of the text. Many of his books also carry one of two armorial bookstamps.
Sources
- Dilworth, Mark. "Sinclair, Henry (1507/8–1565), judge and bishop of Ross." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography