Jenny Geddes

In 1637 there was a riot in St Giles' opposing the imposition by the King in London of a new
prayer book written by Archbishop Laud. Legend has it that the riot started when a local woman called Jenny Geddes threw her stool at the Dean giving the service, James Hannay, and cried "De'il colic the wame o'thee? "
Some reputable historians believe that the Jenny Geddes story was a 19th century invention, though the disturbance certainly occurred.