Earl/Prince Henry

["Neil St. Clair" <neilcalyx@ns.sympatico.ca>]

 Just trying to get my 2 cents worth in - I believe that the present
attention being given to Earl Henry St. Clair stems from a revival in
interest in the book entitled 'Prince Henry Sinclair - His Expedition to
the New World in 1398' written by Frederick J. Pohl.  I have eye-balled
(I hesitate to use the word scan) through his book -  1st edition
published in 1974.

I do not believe that Mr. Pohl identified Henry as a bona fide 'Prince'.
However, he used the title because of its common usage as he explains on
page 75 (up to this time, Frederick refers to Henry as Earl Henry.

I quote from page 75 and the foot note:
    "On Fer Isle in the year 1390 there occurred by chance a dramatic
meeting of two notable men from very different parts of Europe.  The
presence of these two partricular men at the same time on such a small
and remote island was most extraordinary.

    One of them was Earl Henry, who was now also called Prince Henry out
of respect for his political power and alliances and relations with
royalty and his stature as a practically independent ruler*.  He was in
the process of taking possession of the island in the name of the king
of Norway.

* The man Earl Henry met on Fer Island always called the Lord of the
Isles the "Prince, as did Antonio Zeno also.  Since both narrators of
the subsequent career of our Henry were themselves noblemen, it is safe
to assume that they were correct in giving him that title." End of
quote.

    Frederick Pohl, in his book, now referred to Earl Henry as Prince
Henry and then used it in the title of his book.

    The reference to 'Prince' in this context is handed to us through
the 'Zeno Narratives'-  from all that I have read about Henry, he was a
'prince of a man'- an expression that I have heard throughout my life
(not of Henry but in reference to others).  And Antonio must have
thought so since in his last letter to Carlo Zeno, written from Orkney
after Earl Henry was dead,  he wrote: "the life and exploits of Zichmni,
a prince as worthy of immortal memory as ever lived, for his great
bravery and remarkable goodness"

Neil St. Clair (Nova Scotia) -
Treasurer and Membership Chairman of
'The Prince Henry Sinclair Society of North America"
                  (PHSS of NA)

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