Genealogie of the Sainteclaires of Rosslyn

x INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
mainders, severally and successively, to his nephews, Sir James
Saintclair Erskine, Baronet, (the present Earl of Rosslyn), and
John Erskine, Esquire, and upon the 21st A.pril 1801, he was
elevated to the Earldom of Rosslyn, with the same remainders.
His Lordship dying 3d January 1803, was succeeded in these
honours by his nephew.
The male representation of the family of Saintclair of
Rosslyn, is presently vested in the person of the Earl of Caith-
ness ; for although the Lords Sinclair were descendants of
the eldest son of William Earl of Orkney and Caithness, and
although that ancient peerage still exists in the Saintclairs of
Hermandston, that family is not descended from the Earls
of Orkney, but from Henricus de Sancto Claro, who, circa
1162, obtained a charter from Richard de Moreville constable
of Scotland, of the lands of " Hermanestum, cum tota terra quam
" RicardusCamerarius tenuit deHugone patre meo,de Morevilla
" etde me." It is a remarkable circumstance, that the estate thus
conveyed has ever since remained in the family.* It is equally
singular, that while the present noble loi'd inherits the original
* Andersoni Diplomata Scotia?. Tab. 76. Anderson has also engraved a
curious charter, by which Richard de Morevill conveys to Henry Sainteclair
" Edmundum filium Bonde, et Gillemichel fratrem ejus, et filios et filias suas,
et totam progeniem ab eis descendentem." Very few, if any, of the great
Scotish families possess estates granted to their ancestors at a period so early.
What adds to the singularity in the present instance, is the fact, that Her-
mandston is not a large estate, and on that account must have been greatly
exposed to the rapacity of the more opulent and powerful neighbouring land-
holders.