Nicolson, Thomas -1625)

Thomas Nicolson, Comm[unis clericus?] or Town Clerk [?] of Aberdeen, and also Professor of Civil Law in the University of Aberdeen, bought an estate at Cockburnspath in 1622. He died in 1625, and his books seem to have been dispersed immediately afterwards. He not only habitually had his arms added to his books, but also signed them, and used an ownership motto, several rather large book labels, and on occasion had his arms added in ink. He is perhaps the first Scot to use a regular book label. Communis clericus Aberdonensis seems the most likely reading. Neither Commissarius, one exercising spiritual authority on behalf of the Bishop, or Commendatorius, one holding a living in commendam, seems appropriate for a civil lawyer. W.S. Mitchell believes that stamp 2 belonged to Thomas Nicolson’s son, Sir Thomas Nicolson (1609-1656)