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Whig
is from Whiggam-more, a corruption
of Ugham-more (pack-saddle thieves), from the
Celtic ugham (a pack-saddle). The Scotch
insurgent Covenanters were called pack-saddle thieves, from the
pack-saddles which they used to employ for the stowage of plunder. The
Marquis of Argyle collected a band of these vagabonds, and instigated
them to aid him in opposing certain government measures in the reign
of James I., and in the reign of Charles II. all who opposed
government were called the Argyle whiggamors,
contracted into whigs. (See Tory.)
“The south-west counties of Scotland have seldom corn
enough to serve them all the year round, and, the northern parts
producing more than they used, those in the west went in summer to buy
at Leith the stores that came from the north. From the word
whiggam, used in driving their horses, all that drove were
called the whiggamors, contracted into
whigs. Now, in the year before the news came down of Duke
Hamilton's defeat, the ministers animated their people to rise and
march to Edinburgh; and they came up, marching on the head of their
parishes, with an unheard-of fury, praying and preaching all the way
as they came. The Marquis of Argyle and his party came and headed
them, they being about 6,000. This was called the ‘Whiggamors'
Inroad’; and ever after that, all who opposed the court came in
contempt to be called whigs. From Scotland the
word was brought into England. where it is now one of our unhappy
terms of disunion.” —Bishop Burnet: Own
Times.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Whig from Infoplease:
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