Tory

subs. (old: long recognised).—(1) Orig. (Irish) = a marauder: spec. a bandit (16th century) who, to cover lawlessness, took up arms for the King. Hence (2) a bully, a ‘terror’; and (3) a generic reproach: e.g., (a) a sympathiser with, disbeliever in, or supposed abettor of the Popish plot; (b) one who refused to concur in the Exclusion Act confirming the succession to the throne to Protestants, a measure which was directly aimed at the Duke of York, afterwards James II.; and (c), collectively, the Court as distinguished from the Country party, or WHIGS (q.v.). Subsequently TORY assumed its modern meaning: i.e., one upholding the existing order of things in Church and State, as opposed to LIBERAL, i.e., one who sought, by experimental legislation, to remedy admitted or supposed disabilities. About 1832 TORY began to be superseded by ‘Conservative’; indeed the march of time has now (1903) considerably modified the old TORY political ideas.

  1566.  Irish State Papers. That Irish Papists … have returned into Ireland, occasioning the increase of TORIES and other lawless persons.

  1680.  [PINNOCK, Goldsmith’s History of England (1873), 252, note. The year 1680 is remarkable for the introduction of the well-known epithets, Whig and TORY. The former was given to the popular party, from their pretended affinity to the fanatical conventiclers of Scotland, who were known by the name of Whigs. The latter was given to the courtiers, from a supposed resemblance between them and the popish banditti in Ireland, to whom the appellation of TORIES was affixed. Thus these two ridiculous words came into general use, and have continued ever since to mark rival parties, though with very different meanings.]

  1681.  DRYDEN, Absalom and Achitophel, ‘To Reader.’ Wit and fool are consequents of Whig and TORY; and every man is a knave or an ass to the contrary side. Ibid., Limberham; or, the Kind Keeper, iv. 1. Lift up your voices … you TORY RORY jades.

  1687.  RICHARD KIRBY and JOHN BISHOP, The Marrow of Astrology, 43. And now I must leave the Orb of Jupiter, and drop down a little lower to the Sphere of Mars, who is termed a TORY amongst the Stars.

  1694.  MOTTEUX, Rabelais, v. ‘The Pantagruelian Prognostication.’ Braggadocios, TORY-RORY rakes and tantivy boys.

  1695.  Laws of William III. [RIBTON-TURNER, A History of Vagrants and Vagrancy, 396]. The frequent robberies, murders, and other notorious felonies committed by robbers, rapparees and TORIES upon their keeping, hath greatly discouraged the replanting of … [Ireland].

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. TORIES, Zealous Sticklers for the Prerogative and Rights of the Crown, in behalf of the Monarchy; also Irish thieves, or Rapparies.

  1706.  E. PHILLIPS, The New World of Words, s.v. Moss-troopers, a sort of Rebels in the Northern Parts of Scotland, that live by Robbery and Spoil, like the TORIES in Ireland, or the banditi in Italy.

  1714.  HEARNE, Diary, 25 Sept. King George hath begun to change all the ministers, and to put in the whiggs … to the grievous mortification of that party called TORIES.

  1719.  D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, etc., i. 43.

  1725.  SWIFT, Letter to Sheridan, 11 Sept. There is hardly a whig in Ireland, who would allow a potatoe and butter milk to a reputed TORY.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. TORY. An advocate for absolute monarchy and church power: also, an Irish vagabond, robber, or rapparee.

  1849.  MACAULAY, The History of England, ii. At this time were first heard two nicknames which, though originally given in insult, were soon assumed with pride…. It is a curious circumstance that one … was of Scotch, and the other of Irish, origin. Both in Scotland and in Ireland, misgovernment had called into existence bands of desperate men, whose ferocity was heightened by religious enthusiasm…. Thus the appellation of Whig was fastened on the Presbyterian zealots of Scotland, and was transferred to those English politicians who showed a disposition to oppose the court, and to treat Protestant nonconformists with indulgence. The bogs of Ireland, at the same time, afforded a refuge to Popish outlaws, much resembling those who were afterwards known as Whiteboys. These men were then called TORIES. The name of TORY was therefore given to Englishmen who refused to concur in excluding a Roman Catholic prince from the throne.

  1886.  T. H. S. ESCOTT, Small Talk and Statesmen, in The Fortnightly Review, xxxix. Jan., 136. It was never quite certain whether he was going to ‘nobble’ the TORIES or ‘square’ the Radicals.

  1887.  EARL OF SELBORNE, Thoughts about Party, The Contemporary Review, li. Jan., 4. The party led by Sir Robert Peel no longer called itself ‘TORY,’ but ‘Conservative.’

  4.  (American).—A loyalist: during the period of the War of Independence. Hence any one favouring the claims of Great Britain against the revolted Colonies.

  1821.  COOPER, The Spy, xxix. Washington will not trust us with the keeping of a suspected TORY, if we let the rascal trifle in this manner with the corps. Ibid., xxii. Surrender, you servants of King George … or I will let a little of your TORY blood from your veins.

  1855–9.  IRVING, Life of Washington, ii. 371. It was said that the TORIES were arming and collecting in the Highlands, under the direction of distinguished officers, to aid the conspiracies formed by Gov. Tryon and his adherents.