a political faction in Britain, opposed to the Whigs.

The name of Tories was given to a sort of banditti in Ireland, and was thence transferred to the adherents of Charles I. by his enemies, under the pretence that he favoured the rebels in Ireland. His partisans, to be even with the republicans, gave them the name of Whigs, from a word which signifies why, in derision of their poor fare. The Tories, or cavaliers, as they were also called, had then principally in view the political interest of the king, the crown, and the church of England; and the round-heads, or Whigs, proposed chiefly the maintaining of the rights and interests of the people, and of Protestantism. This is the most popular account; and yet it is certain the names Whig and Tory were but little known till about the middle of the reign of King Charles II. M. de Cize relates, that it was in the year 1678 that the whole nation was first observed to be divided into Whigs and Tories; and that on occasion of the famous deposition of Titus Oates, who accused the Catholics of having conspired against the king and the state, the appellation of Whig was given to such as believed the plot real; and Tory to those who held it fictitious.

These parties may be considered either with regard to the state or to religion. The state Tories are either violent or moderate: the first would have the king to be absolute, and therefore plead for passive obedience, non-resistance, and the hereditary right of the house of Stuart. The moderate Tories would not suffer the king to lose any of his prerogative; but then they would not sacrifice those of the people. The state Whigs are either strong republicans or moderate ones. The first (says Rapin) are the remains of the party of the long parliament, who attempted to change monarchy to a commonwealth: but these make to slender a figure, that they only served to strengthen the party of other Whigs. The Tories would persuade the world, that all the Whigs are of this kind; as the Whigs would make us believe that all the Tories are violent. The moderate state Whigs are much in the same sentiments with the moderate Tories, and desire that the government may be maintained on the ancient foundation: all the difference is, that the first bear a little more to the parliament and people, and the latter to that of the king. In short, the old Whigs were always jealous of the encroachments of the royal prerogative, and watchful over the preservation of the liberties and properties of the people.