Alexander Barclay (fl. 1565–1608) was an apothecary in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He supplied drugs and medicines to the Scottish royal family and worked alongside the royal physicians John Naysmyth, Gilbert Primrose, and Martin Schöner.
Barclay was established as an apothecary and burgess of Edinburgh on 20 October 1570. His father, George Barclay, was also an Edinburgh burgess. On 7 February 1577, Barclay was appointed apothecary to James VI of Scotland with an annual pension of £50 Scots. In the same year, he supplied censer candles to James VI and his tutor Peter Young.
Beyond medicines, Barclay also sold sugar confectionery. The family of William Douglas of Lochleven purchased boxes of wet and dry confections from him, which were sometimes consumed for medicinal purposes.
In September 1584, the surgeon Gilbert Primrose was imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle. He was granted bail or caution for future loyalty at £1,000 Scots, guaranteed by the textile merchant Robert Jousie and by Barclay. In 1587, Edinburgh burgh council and Provost John Arnot challenged tax exemptions claimed by certain royal servants, including Barclay, the surgeon Gilbert Primrose, the clockmaker Robert Purves, and several goldsmiths. Primrose and Barclay represented their case before the Privy Council.
On 10 February 1594, Barclay was appointed to attend Anne of Denmark at Stirling Castle during the birth of Prince Henry, alongside the doctors Martin Schöner, Gilbert Moncreiff, and the surgeon Gilbert Primrose. As apothecary to the king and queen, he was granted an exemption from customs duties in 1597.
In May 1598, during a banquet hosted by Edinburgh burgh for the queen's brother, Ulrik, Duke of Holstein, Barclay prepared two pints of "vergeis" and a mutchkin of perfumed rose water. He also supplied drugs for Princess Margaret to Martin Schöner and materials for her embalming.
In May 1601, Barclay supplied plasters, oil, and liniments to James VI, who had injured his arm, and in the same month provided medicines for Anne of Denmark and Prince Charles. In November 1602, he was paid £388 Scots for "drugs, oils, unguents, medicaments, and plasters" supplied to the king.
Barclay had apprentices, including Thomas Adamson from Kelso in 1597. The exact date of his death is uncertain, but it occurred before 1608. One of his predecessors at the Scottish court was John Mosman, who had served James IV and Margaret Tudor.
Family
Barclay married Janet Auchmowtie, who died in 1571. He married secondly Margaret Henderson. Their children included a daughter who married the academic Henry Charteris.
