thumb|Etching of Jacobus Sinapius, copy of the original painting owned by Leop Ioh Scherschnik teacher of rhetoric of Teschen
Jacobus Sinapius or Jacobus Horcicky (modern ; 1575 – 25 September 1622), later granted the title "de Tepenec" ('of Tepenec'; Czech: z Tepence), was a Czech pharmacist and personal doctor of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. His latinized name Sinapius is a translation of his family name Hořčický, which means 'mustard' in Czech.
Biography
According to his college records, Sinapius was born in Bořenovice in Moravia in a lower-class family. He initially worked as kitchen helper at the Jesuit school at Český Krumlov, and became a pharmacist himself. There he also worked in the college's pharmacy, on topics involving chemistry and herbalism, under the overseeing of Martin Schaffner (1564–1608).
By 1598, he started studying Aristotelian philosophy at the Clementinum college in Prague (which was later merged with Charles University), and at the same time oversaw the kitchen and pantry, but continued working in chemistry and pharmacy. However, Sinapius was not satisfied with the teachings there, musing over Barbara Celarent, instead of studying physics and the origins of nature. Because his herbal skills to treat illness impressed, he was allowed gardening near the river Vltava, under the Bräke.