Gilbert Moncreiff (died 1598) was a Scottish court physician. In November 1575, Moncreiff joined the court of

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

as "medicinar and houshald man". He would live for four years at Stirling Castle in attendance on the young king. A pension awarded in October 1580 mentioned that he had served the king since his birth in 1566. James Melville visited the king at Stirling with his uncle

Andrew Melville Andrew Melville (1 August 1545 – 1622) was a Scottish scholar, theologian, poet and religious reformer. His fame encouraged scholars from the European continent to study at Glasgow and St. Andrews. He was born at Baldovie, on 1 August 154 ...

in 1575. They also met Moncreiff, who was an old friend of Andrew Melville from their days in Geneva. Moncreiff, Alexander Preston, with a Highland practitioner recorded as the "Irland leeche", George Boswell from Perth, and an Edinburgh apothecary Robert Craig attended the

Earl of Atholl The Mormaer or Earl of Atholl was the title of the holder of a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl (''Ath Fodhla''), now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is repor ...

. He died on 25 April 1579 at Kincardine after a suspicious illness following a banquet hosted by the Countess of Mar at Stirling Castle. Doctor Preston was also recorded working for Agnes Keith, Countess of Argyll and travelled to

Inveraray Inveraray ( or ; gd, Inbhir Aora meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is a former royal burgh, the traditional county town of Arg ...

in 1576. On 16 June 1581, Moncreiff and Gilbert Skene examined Robert Stewart, Earl of March, in order to demonstrate that he was incapable of consummating his marriage, so that Elizabeth Stewart could obtain a divorce to marry

James Stewart, Earl of Arran Captain James Stewart, Earl of Arran (died 1595) was created Earl of Arran by the young King James VI, who wrested the title from James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran. He rose to become Lord Chancellor of Scotland and was eventually murdered in ...

. Moncreiff was involved in the education of the

Duke of Lennox The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton, was first created in 1581, and had formerly been the Earldom of Lenno ...

in 1583. He helped the poet Alexander Hume back to health, who subsequently wrote and published ''Ane Epistle to Maister Gilbert Montcrief''. Moncreiff worked with other physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries for

, his wife

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

and their children, including the German doctor

Martin Schöner Dr Martin Schöner or Schönerus (died 1611), physician to James VI and I and Anne of Denmark. Schöner was born in Głogów in Lower Silesia, then a part of the Habsburg Empire, but was considered to be from Thuringia. He is said to have been a ...

, the surgeons

John Naysmyth John Naysmith (or Naismyth or Nasmyth) (1556 – 16 September 1613) was a Scottish surgeon who became surgeon to King James VI of Scotland and was appointed Royal Herbalist in London when the monarch became King James VI and I at the Union of the C ...

and Gilbert Primrose, and the apothecary

Alexander Barclay Dr Alexander Barclay (c. 1476 – 10 June 1552) was a poet and clergyman of the Church of England, probably born in Scotland. Biography Barclay was born in about 1476. His place of birth is matter of dispute, but William Bulleyn, who w ...

. On 10 February 1594, he was appointed to attend Anna of Denmark at Stirling Castle, when she gave birth to

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

, with Martin Schöner and Gilbert Primrose, the apothecary Alexander Barclay, and the midwife, who was probably Jonet Kinloch. In September 1596, with the Edinburgh merchant

Clement Cor Clement Cor of Redwalls (1533-1608) was a Scottish merchant based in Edinburgh and St Andrews. Edinburgh career Cor was the eldest son of Andrew Cor, a merchant in Edinburgh. Cor became a burgess of Edinburgh in 1566 and served the burgh council ...

and kirk minister

Robert Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...

he interviewed a woman from Nokwalter in Perth, Christian Stewart, who was accused of causing the death of Patrick Ruthven by witchcraft. She confessed she had obtained a cloth from Isobel Stewart to bewitch Patrick Ruthven, and repeated this confession to the king and Sir George Home at Linlithgow Palace. She was found guilty of witchcraft and burnt on Edinburgh's Castlehill. Moncreiff died in Edinburgh on 24 February 1597/98. His inventory lists a stock of drugs, yellow sugar, and gold bullion including gold coins of James V, Maximilian II and

Philip II Philip II may refer to: * Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC) * Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor * Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374) * Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404) * Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497) * Philip ...

, and Scottish unicorns. He accepted jewelry as pledges for debts.National Records of Scotland, 'Moncreiff, Gilbert', will reference CC8/8/32, pp. 742-745.

Marriage and children

Moncreiff married a sister of the Canongate dagmaker (pistol maker) David Clerk. Their children included; James, Margaret, Marie, Agnes, and Elizabeth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moncreiff, Gilbert 1598 deaths Court of James VI and I 16th-century Scottish people Household of Anne of Denmark 16th-century Scottish medical doctors Court physicians Witchcraft in Scotland