Rights, DECLARATION AND BILL OF.

Rights, DECLARATION AND BILL OF. The Convention Parliament which called the Prince and Princess of Orange to the throne of England set forth, in a solemn instrument known by the name of the Declaration of Rights, the fundamental principles of the constitution which were to be imposed on William and Mary on their acceptance of the crown. This declaration (February 1689), drawn up by a committee of the Commons, and assented to by the Lords, began by declaring that King James II. had committed certain acts contrary to the laws of the realm, and, having abdicated, had left the throne vacant. The main provisions of the Declaration, and of the Bill of Rights (October 1689) based upon it, were to the effect that the power of suspending and of dispensing with laws by regal authority is illegal; that the commission for creating the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes, and all commissions and courts of the like nature, are illegal; that the levying of money for the use of the crown by prerogative, without grant of parliament, is illegal; that it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal; that the raising or keeping of a standing army in time of peace, except with consent of parliament, is illegal; that Protestant subjects may have arms for their defence; that the election of members of parliament should be free; that freedom of speech in parliament should not be questioned in any place out of parliament; that excessive bail ought not to be required, or excessive fines imposed, or cruel or unusual punishments inflicted; that jurors should be duly impaneled, and that jurors in trials for high-treason should be freeholders; that grants and promises of fines and forfeitures before conviction are illegal; and that for redress of all grievances, and the amendment, strengthening, and preserving of the laws, parliaments ought to be held frequently. The remaining clauses treat of the succession to the crown. See also PETITION OF RIGHT.