John Nasmyth

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 Crowns. He was Deacon (President) of the Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers of Edinburgh. Early life and education John Naysmith was the younger son of Sir Michael Naysmyth (or Nasmyth) of Posso (1516–1607), Chamberlain to John Hamilton, the archbishop of St Andrews. His mother was Elizabeth,(1503-1606) daughter of John Baird of Posso (1483–1526), owner of the estate of that name in Peebles-shire. His elder brother James Naysmith inherited the Posso estate and became falconer to James VI. John Naysmyth's early education was at St Mary's College, St Andrews, after which he was apprenticed to the surgeon Gilbert Primrose in Edinburgh. He was admitted to the Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers of Edinburgh in 1588. Career Like his father, he was an active supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. It is thought that he was a member of Lord Seton's party, a small select group who were entrusted to journey to England in 1575, ostensibly to pay homage to Queen Elizabeth, but in reality to smuggle letters to the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots from the Scottish Regent, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton. This was achieved successfully, and, as a result of his part in this exploit he found favour with the teenage James VI. However, in 1575 Alexander Naysmyth lived in London and was questioned in April 1575 with others in England about letters delivered to Mary Queen of Scots by her supporters, not Regent Morton, notably a London bookseller, Henry Cockyn. Naysymth, according to Cockyn, took Mary's letters to the French ambassador.