'''Abhorrers''', the name given in [[1679]] to the persons who expressed their abhorrence at the action of those who had signed petitions urging King [[Charles II of England]] to assemble [[English Parliament|Parliament]].

Feeling against [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]]s, and especially against James, Duke of York, was running strongly; the [[Exclusion Bill]] had been passed by the [[United Kingdom House of Commons|House of Commons]], and the popularity of [[James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth]], was very great.

To prevent this bill from passing into law, Charles had dissolved parliament in July [[1679]], and in the following October had [[prorogue]]d its successor without allowing it to meet. He was then deluged with petitions urging him to call it together, and this agitation was opposed by Sir [[George Jeffreys]] and [[Francis Wythens]], who presented addresses expressing ''abhorrence'' of the ''Petitioners,'' and thus initiated the movement of the abhorrers, who supported the action of the king. "The frolic went all over [[England]]," says [[Roger North (17th century)|Roger North]]; and the addresses of the Abhorrers which reached the king from all parts of the country formed a counterblast to those of the [[Petitioner]]s. It is said that the terms [[British Whig Party|Whig]] and [[British Tory Party|Tory]] were first applied to English political parties in consequence of this dispute.

==References==
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Abhorrers}}
*{{1911}}
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[[Category:People in English history]]
[[Category:Stuart England]]

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