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, f 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. 
