32 MEMOIR OF 



life subsequently involved his simple-minded 

 friend in serious difficulties. 



One immediate consequence of that intimacy, 

 however, was a recommendation by the Earl that 

 the Doctor should add to his researches into the 

 Natural History of Scotland, an inquiry into 

 the exact geographical description of it ; and to 

 encourage him in the task, he procured from 

 King Charles II. a patent,* constituting Dr 

 Sibbald his Majesty's geographer for Scotland, 

 and another appointing him his physician there, t 

 accompanied by the King's commands that he 

 should publish both the Natural History and the 

 geographical description of the kingdom. This led 

 him to incur great expenses in buying books and 

 manuscripts likely to be of use, and in employing 

 a surveyor, and otherwise obtaining original 

 information, without any adequate remuneration) 

 as his patents were merely honorary. James 

 VII. it is true, granted him a salary of 100 

 per annum, as his physician,}: but this he only 

 received one year ; the trouble that ensued 

 probably put an end to all his expectations of 

 court favour. 



In the furtherance of this work, in 1682, he 

 published and circulated throughout the kingdom, 



* Dated, December 30, 1682. 



t Patent, dated, September 30, 1682. 



t Patent, dated, December 12, 1685. 



