A. D. 1689. Anno prlmo Gulielmi 6c Mari^. Seff. 2. C. 2. 44.1 ' And whereas th; faid late King James the Second having abdicated the Government, and the Throne 'being thereby vacant, his Highneis the Prince of Orange (wliom it hath pleaf-d Almighty God to make ' the glorious Inftrui.ent of delivering this Kingdom from Popery and arbitrary Power) did (by the Advice ' (if the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and divers principal Perfons of the Commons) caufe Letters to be ' written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, being Proteftants ; and other Letters to the ftvcral Counties, ' Cities, Univerfities, Boroughs, and Cinque-ports, for the choofmg of fuch Perfons to repr^-fent them, as were of right to be fent to Parliament, to meet and fit at IVeJliwnjUr upon the two and twentieth Day ' 0^ January in this Year one thoufand fix hundred eighty and eight, in order to fuch an Eii:jhli(}imcnt, r:s ' that their P^eli^ion, Laws, and Liberties might not again be in Danger of being fubverted : Upon which Letters, Eleftions having been accordingly made, ' And thereupon the faid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, purfuant to their refpeftive ' Letters and Elections, being now affembled in a full and free Reprefentativc of this Nation, taking ' into their moft ferious Confideration the bcft Means for attaining the Ends aforefaid ; do in th; firit Place (as their Anceftors in like Cafe have ufually done) for the vindicating and afferting their ancient Tl-.e KuhjcGs Rights and Liberties, declare; ' Riflits. ^ I. That the pretended Power of fufpending of Laws, or the Execution of Laws, by regal Authority, No J;f(>enr>ng
- without Confent of Parliament, is illegal. I'owor.
' 2. That the pretended Power of difp^nfing with Laws, or the Execution of Laws, by regal Authority, Late dirpenfing ' as it hath been affumed and exerciicd of late, is illegal. i:iegai. ■ ' 3. That the Commiffion for erefting the late Court of Commiflioners for Ecclefiaftical Caufes, and all Ecclsfiafticai ' other Commiffions and Courts of live Nature, are illegal and pernicious. . t-'ourts illegal. ' 4. That levying Money for or to the Ufe of t.he Crown, by Pretence of Prerogative, without Grant ofLevjing Money. Parliament, for longer Time, or in other Manner than the fame is or (hall be granted, is illegal. ' 5. That it is the Right of the Subjects to petition the King, and all Commitments and Profecutions for Rieht to petition, fach pjtitioningare illegal. ' 6. That the raifmg or keeping a Standing Army within the Kingdom in Time of Peace, unlefs it Standing Army, be with Confent of Parliament, is againft Law. ' 7. That the Subjefts which are Protellants, may have Arms for their Defence fuitable to their Condi- Subjefls Arms, tions, and as allowed by Law. Freedom of ' 8. That Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free. Eleflion. ' 9. That the Freedom of Speech, and Debates or Proceedings in Parliament, ought not to be impeached F,eedum of ' or quef'ioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament. Speccli. ' 10. That exceOive Bail ought not to be required, nor excefEve Fines impofed ; nor cruel and unufual Excoffive Bail. ' Punifhments Inflided. '11. That Jurors ought to be duly impanelled and returned, and Jurors which pafs upon Men in Trials Juries. ' for High Treafon ought to be Freeholders. ,* ' 12. That all Grants and Promifes of Fines and Forfeitures of particular Perfons before Convidlion, are '"^•'^ °f ^°- ' fflegaland void. _ _ _ *^"^"-
- ■ I"?. And that for Redrefs of all Grievances, and for the amending, ftrengthening, and preferving of the Frequent Par-
Laws, Parliaments ought to be held frequently. laments. ' And they do cluim, demand, and infift upon all and fingular the Premifles, as their undoubted Rights
- ' and Liberties ; and that no Declarations, Judgements, Doings, or Proceedings, to the Prejudice o,- the
I' People in any of the faid Primilfes, ought in any wife to be drawn hereafter into Confequence or ' Example. ' To which Demand of their Rights they are particularly encouraged by the Declaration of his Highnefs ' the Prince of Orange, as being the only Means for obtaining a full Redrefs and Remedy therein. ' Having therefore an entire Confidence, That his faid Highnefs the Prince of Orange will perfeft the j' Deliverance fo far ad anced by uim, and will ftill preferve them from 'he Violation of their Rights, which r they have here afierted, and from all o:her Attempts upon their Religion, Rights, and Liberties. ' J[. The faid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, affembled at Ivejiminjler., do refolve. That Tender of tlie / Wiiil.vn and Mary Prince and Princefs of Orange be, and be declared. King and Queen of England, France, '^^°"^-
- ' and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the faid
' Kingdoms and Dominions to them the faid Prince and Princefs during their Lives, and the Life of the ' Survivor- of them ; and that the fole and full Exercife of the Regal Power be only in, and executed by the faid Prince of Orange, in the Names of the faid Prince and Princefs, during their joint Lives ; and after ' their Deceafes, the faid Crov/n and Royal Dignity of the faid Kingdoms and Dominions to be to the Heirs of the Body of the faid Princefs ; and for Default of fuch Iffue to the Princefs Ann- of Denm.irk, and the Heirs of her Body; and for Default of fuch Iflue to the Heirs of the Body of the faid Prince oi Orange. And the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, do pray the faid Prince and Princefs to accept ' the fame accordingly. ' IIL And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by all Perfons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance New Oaths of ' and Supremacy might be required by Law, inftead of them ; and that the faid Oaths of Allegiance and Allegiance, &e. ' Supremacy be abrogated. Vol. in, 3L ' ' ^lA.B.
