Jack Presbyter

English

Proper noun

Jack Presbyter

1. (derogatory, historical) Generic name for a Presbyterian minister.
   • [1647], The II. Members Justification‎^[1], [London]: [s.n.]:

     Their Synod now ſits in great feare, and ſo does Iack Presbyter, / That we ſhall have a King againe, and once more ſee a Miter: […]

   • [1709], [attributed to William Plaxton], The Yorkshire-Racers. A Poem. In a Letter from H[enry] S[ingle]ton, to His Friend T[om] P[ulle]n. […], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 22:

     The harmleſs Nettle now has loſt its Sting, JACK Preſbyter can cry, God ſave the King.

   • 1864, Thomas Wright, “History of Caricature and of Grotesque in Art”, in The Art-Journal, London: James S[prent] Virtue, pages 213–214:

     In fact, the picture represents Presbyterianism—Jack Presbyter—holding the young king’s nose to the grindstone, which is turned by the Scots, personified as Jocky.

   • 1989, Tim Harris, “London Crowds and the Revolution of 1688”, in Eveline Cruickshanks, editor, By Force or by Default? The Revolution of 1688–1689, Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers Ltd, →ISBN, page 46:

     Tories even appropriated the anti-Catholic calendar, burning effigies of Jack Presbyter on 5 November 1681.

References

• “Jack Presbyter, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.