James VI of Scotland, like other renaissance monarchs, kept unusual or exotic pets. We know a lot about his lion from the complaint made by its keeper, Wilhelm Froelich, who had brought the animal from Denmark.  Not all of these animals were diplomatic gifts with an obvious heraldic tie-in. A skipper from Leith, John Downy acquired a porcupine and gave it to the king.

James VI’s camel is more of a mystery. It was first recorded as a “camiell” at Aberdeen, in August 1589, in the keeping of Guillaume Martyn.  James VI was in Aberdeen and at nearby Boyne Castle at the end of July, where he received his ambassadors with their news from Denmark. Thomas Fowler, a servant of Arbella Stewart who followed James’s court,  wrote about the arrival of these ambassadors, but did not mention that they brought a camel from Anna of Denmark as one of the “good proofs (of the) diverse ways of her affection”.  Another reference in the treasurer’s accounts shows a camel had been brought from England, as if it were a gift from Queen Elizabeth.

The camel was just another animal to feed in stables at Holyroodhouse. In 1591 a estimate of yearly requirements was made for the king and queen’s stables. The camel was listed with the king’s horses eating oats and hay, and having straw for bedding. The horses were also given bread and malt which were not suitable for a camel.

“hay of hallerudhous  Item at hay aucht huntting horssis, four gret horssis, sax horssis of the Master stabullaris, the camiell, and the clark of the Equaries hors Being in nombir twanttie hors athir of thame gettin daylie ane stane ha[lf] stane hay, and to thame all in the day ___ xxx stane hay”

The name of the camel was not recorded. Guillaume Martyn, the French servant in the stables, like Wilhelm Froelich, despaired of getting paid and ran away to England with the queen’s goldsmith and her jewels.  No more was heard of the camel.

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Thomas Fowler’s letter of 28 July 1589 from Aberdeen is often spectacularly misquoted, it is BL Egerton MS 2,598/10.