Brewer's: Petitioners and Abhorrers

Two political parties in the reign of Charles II. When that monarch was first restored he used to grant everything he was asked for; but after a time this became a great evil, and Charles enjoined his loving subjects to discontinue their practice of “petitioning.” Those who agreed with the king, and disapproved of petitioning, were called Abhorrers; those who were favourable to the objectionable practice were nicknamed Petitioners.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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