The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Sir Robert Sibbald (15 Apr 1641 - 1722)

Botanist and collector. Sibbald supplemented Andrew Balfour's natural history museum in Edinburgh (Freshwater, 354). He presented Balfour's museum to the University of Edinburgh (Murray, vol. 1, p. 56). Sibbald describes in his autobiography meeting Balfour sometime around October 1666 and his entrance into the practice of collecting:
Some four yeers after I settled here [in October 1662], Doctor Andrew Balfour came home, and about a yeer therafter came to Edinburgh. I was acquainted with him in France, and we were allyed. He was a man of ane excellent witt, and who had improved himself by his travells for 14 yeers.* He had severall tymes travelled over France, and had been a yeer in Italy, and seen all the rarities there, and conversed with the men eminent for learning. He had attained much knowledge of the naturall history, and provided himselfe well with books of that nature. I came by conversation with him to know the best writters on that subject. I had from my settlement here, a designe to informe myself of the naturall history this country could affoord, for I had learned at Paris that the simplest method of Physick was the best, and these that the country affoorded came neerest to our temper, and agreed best with us, so I resolved to make it part of my studie to know what animalls, vegetables, mineralls, metalls, and substances cast up by the sea, were found in this country, that might be of use in medicine, or other artes usefull to human lyfe, and I began to be curious in searching after them and collecting them, which I continued to do ever since.” (Sibbald, Autobiography,20-21)
Sibbald also describes meeting Patrick Murray, 2nd Lord Elibank ("Patrick Morray, Laird of Levingstone"), frequently visiting his collection of plants at his house in Livingston and introducing him to Balfour, which "upon Levingstone's going abroad and corresponding with the Doctor, gave the rise to the designe of establishing the medicine garden at Edinburgh" (Ibid., 21).

Sibbald also became acquainted with Sir Robert Moray, "the famous virtuoso," through a cousin on his mother’s side, Mr. Patrick Drumond, who “sometyme stayed at Court . . and acquainted me with the curious experiments made by him” (Sibbald, Autobiography, 19-20).
Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25496?docPos=3 Collector (minor)
Donator of a collection
Relevant locations: Birth place in Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh
Donated to University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Educated at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Founder or Creator of Edinburgh Physic Garden, Edinburgh
Lived at or near Kipps, West Lothian
Owned Kipps, West Lothian
Relationships: Sir Robert Sibbald was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Robert Moray (c.1608/9-1673)

Archibald (-fl. c. 1697) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Andrew Balfour (1630-1694) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Alexander Edward (-fl. c. 1697) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
David Gregory (3 Jun 1659-10 Oct 1708) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
Irvine (-fl. c. 1697) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
James Kirkton (1628-1699) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Mr. Martin (-fl. 1696) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Hugh Maxwell (1636-Jul 1704) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
Alexander Monteith (1660-1713) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Patrick Murray (1632-1671) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
Orrock (-fl. c. 1697) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
George Sibbald (fl. 1617-1630) was a uncle of Sir Robert Sibbald
George St Clair [Sinclair] (1642-1686) was a friend of Sir Robert Sibbald
James Sutherland (1638-1719) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
James Wallace (1684-fl. 1724) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Sir Robert Sibbald
Robert Wodrow (1679-1734) was a correspondent of Sir Robert Sibbald
Linked manuscripts: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - MS Dc.1.59, Edinburgh University Library, University of Edinburgh
as Previous owner - Adv. MS.13.2.8 , National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
as Scribe (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Adv. MS.13.2.8 , National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
Linked manuscript items: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - "Life of Sir Robert Sibbald, Knight, M. D. [copy]," National Library of Scotland Adv. MS.33.5.1, Edinburgh
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - "Memoria Balfouriana by Sir Rob. Sibbald," Edinburgh University Library MS Dc.1.59, University of Edinburgh
as Scribe (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - "A Catalogue of Mineralls and figur’d stones found in Scotland in M. R. W. cabinet," National Library of Scotland Adv. MS.13.2.8 , Edinburgh
Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - A Letter from Sir Robert Sibbald to Dr. Martin Lister Coll. Med. Lond. & S. R. S. containing an account of several shells observed by him in Scotland.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Auctarium musaei Balfouriani, e musaeo Sibbaldiano, sive, Enumeratio & descriptio rerum rariorum, tàm naturalium quam artificialium, tàm domesticarum quàm exoticarum quas Robertus Sibbaldus M.D. eques auratus, Academie Edinburgenae donavit: quae quasi manuductio brevis est, ad historiam naturalem. .
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Memoria Balfouriana, sive, Historia rerum, pro literis promovendis gestarum a clarissimis fratribus Balfouriis, D. D. Jacobo, Barone de Kinaird, Equite, Leone, Rege Armorum et D. D. Andrea, M.D. Equite Aurato.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Scotia illustrata, sive, Prodromus historiae naturalis: in quo regionis natura, incolarum ingenia and mores, morbi iisque medendi methodus, and medicina indigena accuratè explicantur.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - The Autobiography of Sir Robert Sibbald, Knt., M. D. to Which is Prefixed Some Account of his MSS..
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - The History Ancient and Modern of the Sheriffdoms of Linlithgow and Stirling, in which there is an account of the royal seats and castles, and of the royal burghs and the ports, and of the religious houses and hospitals, and of the most remarkable houses of the nobility and gentry. With an account of the natural products of the land and water.
as Dedicatee - A Description of the Isles of Orkney.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Books and Universities.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Historical and Biographical Sketches of the Progress of Botany in England, From its Origin to the Introduction of the Linnaean System.
as Mentions or references - Ducatus Leodiensis; or the topography of the town and parish of Leedes and parts adjacent ...
as Mentions or references - Museums, Their History and Their Use: With a Bibliography and List of Museums in the United Kingdom.
as Mentions or references - The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and their Museum: Scotland’s National Collection and a National Discourse.
as Sender of a letter - A Letter from Sir Robert Sibbald to Dr. Martin Lister Coll. Med. Lond. & S. R. S. containing an account of several shells observed by him in Scotland.
as Subject of/in a document - Collecting Beyond the Book: Edinburgh University Library and the Earliest University Museums.
Linked Objects: Collector (major) - barnacle
Collector (major) - cochleae [snail] shells
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - cochlea [snail] shell
Collector (major) - concha shell
Collector (major) - concha shell
Collector (major) - concha shell
Collector (major) - limpet [shell]
Collector (major) - limpet [shell]
Collector (major) - limpet [shell]
Collector (major) - nautilus falconeri shell
Collector (major) - nertia [shell]
Collector (major) - patella [shell]
Collector (major) - patella [shell]
Collector (major) - pecten [shell]
Collector (major) - pecten [shell]
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectine [clam] shell
Collector (major) - pectunculus [shell]
Collector (major) - pediculus ceti
Collector (major) - shell of testudo marina squamosa
Collector (major) - tellina [mollusc] shell
Collector (major) - tellina [mollusc] shell
Collector (major) - trochi [shell]
Collector (major) - trochus [shell]
Collector (major) - trochus [shell]
Collector (major) - trochus [shell]
Collector (major) - trochus [shell]
Linked images:
References in Documents:
Petiver, Musei Petiveriani (1695-1703) Sib. Scotia illustrata à Rob. Sibbaldo, M. D. Edinb. 1684. fol.
Petiver, Gazophylacii Naturæ (1702-1706) A. 6. This Fossile Sr. Robert Sibbald sent me from Scotland, C. 59.
Selections from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (1665-1669) VIII. A Letter from Sir Robert Sibbald to Dr. Martin Lister Coll. Med. Lond. & S.R.S. containing an Account of several Shells observed by him in Scotland.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)

Leguminous Herbs. Phaseolus maximus perennis, or the Great Bean of Jamaica. The Small red spotted Bean. The Jamaica white Peas, like our Rouncivals. The white Bonavist or Egg-Pea; it hath a Milk white Hilus or Eye almost surrounding it. The red Bonavist is somewhat less. The largest white Phaseolus with a black Eye, commonly called the Horse-Bean. These are the 1st, 2d, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th, in Dr. Sloan's Nat. Hist. of Jamaica, where the Plants are most curiously engraved. Sir Robert Sibbald's Nux Indica ex qua Pyxides pro pulvere sternutatorio parant; the mealy Part is taken out of this at the Hilus in order to its being made a Snuff-Box: They grow beyond Mount Diablo in Jamaica, and are cast on Shore on the Orkney Isles (p)(p) Phil. Trans. N° 222.. As also is the Phaseolus Brasilianus, call'd in Jamaica the Horse Eye Bean, from the black Ledge that almost surrounds it; it is better than an Inch Diameter, and of a dark Colour: They are sometimes tip'd with Silver, and worn for Buttons (q)(q) Dr. Sloane's Nat. Hist. of Jamaica. the 8th and 9th.. Another Sort, larger, compress'd and lighter coloured; the Hilus is not now black. Phaseolus maritimus semine fusco striato, the Sea-Bean, oval, brown, with Clay coloured Spots, dangerous to eat. Phaseolus Glycyrrhizites, or wild Liquorice. A round Scarlet Pea, adorned with a black Spot upon the Seat of the Placenta; they are stringed and worn as Bracelets: They grow also in Madagascar and China, where they use them as Weights (r)(r) Dr. Grew's Mus. Reg. Soc. p. 233. It is Dr. Sloane's 12th, and the preceding his 10th.. Some of them are said to be black all over, which may account for some of that Colour and Size, sent me under the Name of Indian Shott. One of a much larger Kind, that is half Scarlet, and half Black; it weighs 14 of the said small Guiney Peas. Those that are called the French Beans, both of the red, and of the white, from Jamaica. A lesser Sort of Kidney, brown striked with black. Two Pods of the Callavance, or Jamaica red Peas, the Cods are of a dark reddish Colour with a Swelling over every Pea, which seem to be small, of the Bigness of our Vetches. This is the 18th of Dr. Sloane. The Phaseolus erectus major. Here are also the small Gallivant Peas, or perhaps the Phaseolus erectus minor, not so big as the least Field Pea, white with a black Eye. Arachidna Indiæ utriusq; tetraphylla, Earth-nuts or Pindalls; they are brought from Guinea to feed the Negroes with in their Voyage from thence to Jamaica.