Dr Martin Schöner or Schönerus, 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 nephew of the German polymath Johannes Schöner. Some English sources render Martin's name as "Schoverus", in Scottish records the name appears as "Schoneir" and "Schonerz". He used the title "Dr", but the university where he studied has not been identified.
On 7 May 1603 Anne of Denmark came to Stirling Castle to try to get her son Prince Henry from the keeping of the Earl of Mar. The Earl told her he could not release the Prince to her on 9 May, and later that day she fell ill and fainted at dinner. Lady Argyll, Lady Mar, Jean Drummond and Marion Boyd, Mistress of Paisley carried her to bed where she had a miscarriage. According to the lawyer, Thomas Hamilton, who was at the castle, the queen told Dr Martin, Marion Boyd, and others that she had taken "some balm water that hastened her abort." Anne of Denmark arrived in London on 3 June 1603. Schöner came to England and on 26 July 1603 James appointed him "ordinary" and "first doctor" to the queen with a salary of £100 Sterling. Another Scottish physician, John Craig had already been appointed "first doctor" on 20 June. Schöner may have delayed coming to London because his wife Christian Gibsoun was pregnant. He requested passes for four German gentleman to visit England. On 24 April 1604 with Lancelot Browne he recommended the waters at Spa in Belgium to Henry Jerningham senior of Costessey for "all such griefs as he does complain of, namely the rheum, vertigo, convulsions, palsye, melancholia, hypochondriaca, obstructions, and the stone". This prescription was used by Jerningham to obtain a licence to travel abroad for his health. Schöner signed the document as, "Martinus Schonerus, Hir Maiesties Physicion". Anne of Denmark's apothecaries in England were John Clavie, John Woolf,, appointed on 26 November 1604 to provide sweet powders, waters, perfumes and other products, and later Gideon Delaune and Louis Lamere. In August 1605 one of the queen's former ladies in waiting, Jean Stewart, Lady Bargany travelled to consult him in London but he could offer no hope, she died at Stilton on her way back to Scotland. Schöner gave the king a New Year's gift of a box of confections in January 1606. The other physicians at court, John Craig, John Hammond, Henry Atkins, and Elvin, gave similar gifts. At the baptism of one of his children on 30 January 1610, he was given a gift of £4 by David Murray of Gorthy, the keeper of the Privy Purse of Prince Henry. Schöner was naturalized as an English citizen in July 1610 at the same time as other members of the queen's household; Dorothea Silking and her sister "Engella Seelken" from Gustrow, Katherine Benneken from Garlstorf, the apothecary John Wolfgang Rumler from Augsburg and his wife Anna de l'Obel from Middelburg, a daughter of Matthias de l'Obel. He died in 1611, and in September 1611 his second wife and widow Christiana, or "Christian Schonero", was granted £150. Théodore de Mayerne was his successor as the queen's physician.
Family
His first wife was Lucretia, a daughter of the laird of "Cassgoure" and Catherine Ogilvy. Their children included;
:de:Johannes Sch%C3%B6ner der J%C3%BCngere|Johannes Schöner was born in Edinburgh on 2 July 1597. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Wittenberg, Frankfurt, and Greifswald. He married Catherine Erskine and died at Stralsund in April 1657.
Elizabeth, baptised 28 August 1603, witnessed by William Fowler, merchant of Edinburgh, son of Janet Fockart and elder brother of the poet William Fowler, whose wife Catherine Gibsoun was a relation of Christian. She married Adam Cunningham of Woodhall.
Sophie, who married James Pringle of Whytbank in 1622, she was said to have been a maiden of honour to Anne of Denmark, and was the mother of Alexander Pringle. A portrait miniature of Anne of Denmark with rubies and gold chain was kept in the family. Sophie Schöner was buried at Melrose Abbey in 1622. James Pringle never remarried, his arms are painted on the wall of their lodging at Moubray House in Edinburgh.
Mr James Schonier of Caskeberrie, now Caskieberran in Glenrothes.
Christian Gibsoun subsequently married Sir Robert Dennistoun or Danielstoun of Mountjoy, Conservator of Scottish Privileges in the Low Countries at Veere, and paid for his monument in Greyfriars Kirkyard. The inscription refers to his diplomatic missions to exiles abroad for King James, English and Spanish, presumably Catholic exiles.
