The Entry of James VI into Edinburgh was a ceremony marking the coming of age of

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

as an adult ruler on Friday 19 October 1579. James VI had spent his childhood at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...

. Now he came to Edinburgh to begin his adult rule.

Events

According to David Moysie, James VI left Stirling on 29 September 1579 despite a storm. He had lunch at

Dunipace Dunipace is a village in the west of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The village is south of Stirling and north-west of Falkirk. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Carron and adjoins the town of Denny, to the south ...

and dinner at

Linlithgow Palace The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although m ...

where he stayed the night, and came to Holyroodhouse the next evening. The town lined the road with men in armour and a salute was fired from

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on t ...

. His entry to the town was marked by a ceremonial Royal entry. James arrived from

Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 on the site of th ...

. The processional route went from the West Port, to the Overbow, to the Tolbooth, to St Giles Kirk, the Mercat Cross, the Salt Tron, the Nether Bow, Canongate Cross, and Holyrood Palace. The gates of the town, the tolbooths of Edinburgh and the Canongate, and other buildings were painted white with limewash, called "calk". Householders along the route were asked to hang the external stairs with tapestry and "Arras works". At the West Port the king was met by 32 burgesses of Edinburgh, whose names are recorded, who carried a canopy made of purple velvet. John Shairp gave a speech in Latin. There was a

tableau vivant A (; often shortened to ; plural: ), French for "living picture", is a static scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or scenery, and may be theatric ...

of the Judgement of Solomon. At the Overbow Cupid gave James the keys to the town. Cupid was played by a boy who descended in a globe. At the Tolbooth four maidens (probably played by boys) represented Peace, Justice, Plenty and Policy, a scene relating to the four Cardinal Virtues. At St Giles Dame Religion invited the king to hear a sermon on the duty of kings and Psalm 21 was sung. Afterwards, at the Mercat Cross

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Roma ...

shared out wine. At the Salt Tron the genealogy of the Scottish monarchy was presented, perhaps using portraits. The king's horoscope was presented an actor playing

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

at the Netherbow Port. At the Canongate Cross a scene represented the abolition of the Pope's authority in Scotland. At

Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinbu ...

a new lodging was prepared for the king's favourite Esmé Stewart next to the royal apartment. A course or tournament ground made of sand for "running at the ring" was laid at Holyroodhouse. Celebrations continued at

, hosted by the former Regent Morton. Similar pageantry was used in September 1561 when Mary, Queen of Scots had made an Entry, and in May 1590 at the

Entry and Coronation of Anne of Denmark On 17 May 1590, Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland. There was also a ceremony of joyous entry into Edinburgh on 19 May, an opportunity for spectacle and theatre and allegorical tableaux promoting civic and national identities, simila ...

The account of the event in Scots

A short account of the events occurs in the chronicle, ''The historie and life of King James the Sext'', written in Scots;

At the Wast Port of Edinburgh, he was ressavit be the Magistrats of the toun under a pompous payle of purple velvet. That port presentit unto him the wisdome of Solomon, as it is written in the thrid chapter of the first buik of the Kings : That is to say King Solomon was representit with the tua wemen that contendit for the young chylde. This done, they presented unto the King, the sworde for the one hand, and the scepter for the uther.
And as he maid forder progres within the toun, in the streat that ascendis to the castell, thair is an ancient port, at the whilk hang a curious globe, that opnit artificiallie as the King came by, wharin was a young boy that discendit craftelie, presenting the keyis of the toun to his Majestie, that war all maid of fyne massie sylver; and thais war presentlie ressavit be ane of his honorable counsall at his awin command. During this space, Dame Music and hir scollars exercesit hir art with great melodic. Then in his discence, as he came foment the hous of Justice, thair shew thayme selfis unto him, foure gallant vertewous ladeyis; to wit, Peax, Justice, Plentie, and Policie; and ather of thayme had an oraison to his Majestic.
Tharefter, as he came towart the chief collegiall kirk, thare Dame Religion shew hirself, desyring his presence, whilk he then obeyit be entring the kirk; whare the cheif preacher for that tyme maid a notable exhortation unto him, for the embracing of Religion and all hir cardinall vertewis, and of all uther morall vertewis. Tharefter, he came furth and maid progres to the Mercat Croce, whare he beheld Bacchus with his magnifik liberalitie and plentie, distributing of his liquor to all passingers and behalders, in sik apperance as was pleasant to see. A litill beneth is a mercat place of salt, wharupon was payntit the genealogie of the Kings of Scotland, and a nomber of trumpets sounding melodioslie, and crying with loud voyce, "Wealfayre to the King".
At the east port was erectit the conjunctioun of the planets, as thay war in thair degreis and places the tyme of his Majesteis happie nativitie, and the same vivelie representit be the assistance of King Ptolome : And withall, the haill streits war spred with flowres; and the forehowsis of the streits, be the whilks the King passit, war all hung with magnifik tapestrie, with payntit historeis, and with the effegeis of noble men and wemen : And thus he past owt of the toun of Edinburgh to his palice of Halyruidhous.

The silver Cupboard

The king was given a cupboard of silver gilt plate made by the Edinburgh goldsmiths Edward Hart, Thomas Annand,

George Heriot George Heriot (15 June 1563 – 12 February 1624) was a Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist. He is chiefly remembered today as the founder of George Heriot's School, a large independent school in Edinburgh; his name has also been given to H ...

, Adam Craig and William Cokky. It was valued at 1000 English marks. This included a basin and a laver, two flasks, six cups and covers, four candle holders, a salt, a silver salver, and dozen silver plates. William Fairlie was asked to oversee the gilding of the silver on 8 October and assist Henry Nesbit make an account of the expenses. The wealthy merchant and "Customar" of Edinburgh Robert Gourlay, a supporter of Regent Morton, complained to the

Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of ...

when he was asked to contribute £30.

Repairs to Holyrood Palace

An account for repairs and building work at Holyrood Palace in August and September 1579 survives. The works were supervised by William MacDowall, the royal Master of Work. Mention is made of slating the roof of a "Dancing House", carpenters who made a great chest for the king's pantry, glazing the chamber for "Lord Lennox", and a pavement in the chapel. New rooms were made for William Murray, and for Jerome Bowie, Master of the Wine Cellar. George Wallace or Vallance and his workman plastered the old hall, the chapel and the gallery, and painted the council house with chalk distemper paint. Women worked cleaning chambers in the tower, the old hall, the forework, and the gallery, and the inner close or courtyard. Their wages were two shillings a day.Henry Paton, ed, ''Accounts of the Master of Works'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1957), pp. 302–307.

References

''Documents relative to the reception at Edinburgh of the Kings and Queens of Scotland: 1561–1650''
(Edinburgh, 1822), pp. 11–31. {{DEFAULTSORT:Entry of James VI into Edinburgh 1579 in Scotland Renaissance in Scotland Court of James VI and I European court festivities History of Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh Scottish plays Drama at the Scottish royal court Royal entries in Britain