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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Whig, n. Also: whigg, whigh, uig. Pl. also wigges. [17th c. north. Eng. whigg (c1645), whig (c1655) ? a country bumpkin or ? , perhaps rather, a non-conformist or dissenter, appar. shortened f. Whiggamaire n., q.v.] A supporter of the National Covenant, a Covenanter or extreme Presbyterian. See Quhigg n. for a further example. b. possess. and attrib. Whiggs Road, = Whiggamaire roade (Whiggamaire n.). Whig spunk (Sponk(e n. 3), a match.See also SND, s.v. Whig n.³ and EDD s.v. Whig n.¹ for further information. 1657 Balmerino (1867) 213.
A man who was upbraided … as having] fallen in among the Whigs of Kilmany 1666 Bk. Pasquils 232.
I did see the outlaw Whigs Lye scattered up and down the riggs 1666 Nicoll Diary 452.
Ther was six men hanged at Edinburgh Croce, comonlie callit ‘The Whigs’ … quho all of them pretendit they died ‘For God and the Covenant’ 1677 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 230.
Iff the Hyland men wer forst to march to the west to suppress a rebelleion of the Uigs, they shood not only hav frie quarter bott liberty off plundering, and, iff they pleased, to settell themselves ther … and possess the countrey for a reuard 1678 Ravillac Redivivus (1678) 72.
A proverbial sarcasm in our language against them, that the Whigs ga to Heaven a gate of their awn c1680 (1682) Ravillac Redivivus 7.
It was rumoured … that the Whiggs (for so we call fanaticks) design'd to take off both the arch-bishops … by assassination 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 8.
Shou'd some hing lugg'd Whig sneak under the dykes, He'll say to his sel', ‘Yon’s twa Tory tykes' 1692 Welsh in Presb. Eloq. (1789) 102.
Who is a Whig, Sirs? One that will not swear, nor curse, nor ban 1693 Answ. Presb. Eloq. Pref.
The faction above mentioned, who formerly persecuted them too, under the odious names of Whiggs and Trimmers a1721 Wodrow Hist. I (1828) 387.
After the clause about papists, all that follows points at the poor whigs: beside the ordinary crimes of conventicles and Presbyterian ministers their continuing at their Master's work, all such are cast in who keep meetings at fasts, and the sacraments of the Lord's supper, which are not approven by authority(b) 1679 T. Brown Diary 9.
The Duck of Monmoth hath battell with the wigges in the west(c) 1682 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 267.
He would make it so uneasy for the Whighs to lieve in the westb. possess. c1679 Kirkton Hist. 46.
This was done at the Whiggs' Road, as was called, and so the protestors in parliament became entire masters of Scotlandattrib. ?a1700 Sc. N. & Q. II 62.
He stole his Whig-spunks tipt wi' brunstane. [The line is from a satirical ballad called ‘Cumberland and Murray’s Descent into Hell', preserved in ‘Remains of Nithsdale & Galloway Song'.]