By the statutes of George Heriot’s Hospital, founded by James VI’s jeweller, the first Monday in June was kept as a solemn thanksgiving, with the provost, magistrates and ministers walking with the scholars to Greyfriars church to hear a sermon. On that day the founder’s statue over the gateway was decorated with flowers and each boy received a new suit of clothes. Hone notes the boys had once dressed the statue on the first of May. Heriot’s Day is still kept by the school in June.
Heriot’s Day
5 June · George Heriot's Hospital, Edinburgh
Still kept
It was formerly a custom with the boys to dress Heriot's statue with flowers on the first of May, and to renew them on this anniversary festival when they received their new clothes.
From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 2, cols. 745-748. Read the original
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