Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

Edinburgh, clad in canonicals, appeared to begin
the new service. A vast crowd had assembled, both
within and without the church, and as the dean,
Liturgy in hand, elbowed his way, and mounted the
stairs to the desk, the scene was more animated
than edifying. He had hardly begun to read when a
frightful clamor of voices rose round him. His
tones were drowned and his composure shaken.
Presently he was startled by the whizz of a missile
passing dangerously near his ear, launched, as
tradition says, by Janet Geddes, who kept a stall in
the High Street, and who, finding nothing more
convenient, flung her stool at the dean, with the
objurgation, "Villain, dost thou say mass at my
lug?" The dean shut the obnoxious book, hastily
threw off the surplice, which had helped to draw
the tempest upon him, and fled with all speed. The
Bishop of Edinburgh, who was present, thinking,
perhaps, that the greater dignity of his office would
procure him more reverence from the crowd,
ascended the pulpit, and exerted himself to pacify
the tumult, and continue the service. His
appearance was the signal for a renewal of the
tempest, which grew fiercer than ever. He was
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