[927] Mr. Henry Sinclair, (see vol. i. p. 274,) was successively Rector of Glasgow and a Lord of Session in 1537, Abbot of Kilwynning in 1541, Dean of Glasgow in 1550, and President of the Court of Session in 1559. The Queen Regent, on the 27th March 1560, had written in his favour, to be advanced to the See of Ross, then vacant, by the death of David Panter, as mentioned by the French envoys De la Brosse and the Bishop of Amiens, in their letter of that date, to the Cardinal de Lorraine, and the Duko de Guise:—"La Royne Douugere vous escript pour les expeditions de l'Evesché de Rosse en faveur du Doyen de Glascou, qui est President de la Session. Son age, et fort bonne vye, et emynent scauoir le recommendent assez; et n'avons voulu faillir a vous en porter sa tesmoignage, et vous dire qu'il est bien affectioné et bien necessaire pardeça. L'Evesché est encores entièr." (Stevenson's Illustrations, &c. p. 80.)
[928] Calderwood says, that Sinclair "was a speciall enemy to Mr. Knox, becaus he still affirmed, that a Bishop receiving profite, and not feeding the flock by his owne labours, is a theefe and a murtherer." (Hist. vol. ii. p. 233.) Knox employs no measured terms in also speaking of his brother John Sinclair, who became Bishop of Brechin, and his successor as President, "as ane perfyte hypocrite," (vol. i. pp. 265.) Queen Mary, on the 20th February 1563-4, applied to Queen Elizabeth for a safe conduct "unto our traist Counsalour. Henry Bischop of Ross, (quhom we haif licent to pas to the partes of France, to seke cure and remedie of certane maladyis quhairwith he is presentlie diseasit,") &c. (Labanoff, Recueil des Lettres, &c., vol. vii. p. 293.) On the 18th September 1564, the Queen applied for a safe conduct to "oure weil belovit Clerk, Maister Johne Sinclair, Dene of Restalrig, being in the partes of France, and willing to returne hamewart in this oure Realme." (Ib. vol. i. p. 227.) In the above passage Knox evidently alludes to the disease of which the Bishop of Ross died, at Paris, on the 2d January 1564-5. (Diurnal of Occurrents, pp. 77, 79.)
[929] In MS. G, "the Maister of Maxwell, efter maid Lord Herries." In a previous note, (vol. i. p 319,) it will be seen that Sir John Maxwell, whose name occurs repeatedly in Knox, married the eldest daughter and co-heiress of Lord Herries of Terreglis. Sometimes he is styled the Master of Maxwell, as presumptive heir of the title. He was much employed in public affairs, and was long Warden of the West Marches. Having joined himself with the Lords of the Congregation, on the 2d February 1559-60, he was one of the ambassadors sent by them to England. He was generally known as Sir John Maxwell of Terreglis; and this barony, in 1566, was erected into a Lordship, and Sir John took his seat in the Parliament 1567, as Lord Herries. In the latter period of his life, he became one of the most constant and zealous adherents of Queen Mary.
[930] The portion of the MS. which bears internal evidence of having been transcribed in 1566, terminates with the commencement of this paragraph. In what follows, having the marginal note 3 as a kind of title at the head of the page, and extending in all to twenty-nine leaves, the transcription could not have been earlier than December 1571, (yet during Knox's life.) This concluding portion is hastily written, more like a scroll copy from dictation, than an accurate transcript—many of the words are omitted or inaccurately written. Various minute corrections, chiefly in orthography, have therefore been adopted from MS. G. It may further be added, that from the irregular manner of the writing, the marginal notes have suffered so much in the binder's hands, that some of them can scarcely be deciphered; but the Glasgow MS. fortunately serves to supply such deficiencies.
[931] The words inclosed within brackets are supplied from MS. G.
[932] Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar: see supra p. 260, note 27.
[933] This date forming part of the text, proves that this portion of the MS. must have been transcribed at that date: see introductory notice, vol i. p. xxx.
[934] Mr. John Spens of Condie was Queen's Advocate from 1558, and has several times been mentioned by Knox: see vol. i. p. 419. He died in June 1573. (Register of Confirmed Testaments, 5th March 1577-8.)
[935] In MS. 1566, "my falt."
[936] In MS. G, "spack to Johne Knox,