On July 23 1637 Jenny Geddes threw a stool at the Dean of St. Giles Cathedral, sparking the movement to the Covenant.

Geddes was objecting to the use of the new prayer book authorised by Charles I, her immortal words being "Dost thou say Mass in my lug?" There is a lot of doubt as to the veracity of the story, although it is true that the prayer book, as with all of Charles' attempts to introduce Episcopacy ino Scotland, made him hugely unpopular and led to the signing of the National Covenant in 1638.

On 23 July 1745 Prince Charles Edward Stewart, "The Young Pretender", landed in Eriskay with only seven men.

Charles soon managed to talk round Cameron of Lochiel to his cause and within a month had raised his standard at Glenfinnan. The last Jacobite Rising was to follow.

On this day in 1946 James Maxton, the Scottish Socialist politician, died.

Maxton was born into a middle-class family in Glasgow, but was converted to Socialism while working as a teacher, joining the Independent Labour Party soon after. Elected as MP for Bridgeton in 1922, he retained the seat until his death.

He often criticised the government of Ramsay MacDonald for its moderate policies, and when the National Government was formed by MacDonald he successfully persuaded the Independent Labour Party to break away from the Labour Party.

Today's recipe: a stuffing of cheese and Parma ham make these lamb cutlets a delicious, seasonal family dinner.