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English Bill of Rights
1689 WHEREAS the late King James the Second, by the assistance of divers evil counsellors, judges and ministers employed by him, did endeavor to subvert and extirpate the protestant religion, and the laws and liberties of this kingdom. 1.By assuming and exercising a power of dispensing
with and suspending of laws, and the execution of laws, without consent
of parliament. 2. By committing and prosecuting divers worthy
prelates, for humbly petitioning to be excused from concurring to the said
assumed power. 3. By levying money for and to the use of
the crown, by pretence of prerogative, for other time, and in other manner,
than the same was granted by parliament. 5. By raising and keeping a standing army
within this kingdom in time of peace, without consent of parliament, and
quartering soldiers contrary to law. 6. By causing several good subjects, being
protestants, to be disarmed, at the same time when papists were both armed
and employed, contrary to law. 7. By violating the freedom of election of
members to serve in parliament. 8. By prosecutions in the court of King's
bench, for matters and causes cognizable only in parliament; and by divers
other arbitrary and illegal courses. 9. And whereas of late years, partial, corrupt,
and unqualified persons have been returned and served on juries in trials,
and particularly divers jurors in trials for high treason, which were not
freeholders. 10. And excessive bail hath been required
of persons committed in criminal cases, to elude the benefit of the laws
made for the liberty of the subjects. 11. And excessive fines have been imposed;
and illegal and cruel punishments have been inflicted. 12. And several grants and promises made of
fines and forfeitures, before any conviction or judgement against the persons,
upon whom the same were to be levied. All which are utterly and directly contrary
to the known laws and statutes, and freedom of this realm. And whereas the said late king James the Second
having abdicated the government, and the throne being thereby vacant...the
said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons...do in the first place
(as their ancestors in like case have usually done) for the vindicating
and asserting their ancient rights and liberties, declare; 1. That the pretended power of suspending
of laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, without consent
of parliament, is illegal. 2. That the pretended power of dispensing
with laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, as it hath been
assumed and exercised of late, is illegal. 3. That the commission for erecting the late
court of commissioners for ecclesiastical causes, and all other commissions
and courts of like nature are illegal and pernicious. 4. That levying money for or to the use of
the crown, by pretence of prerogative, without grant of parliament, for
longer time, or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted, is
illegal. 5. That it is the right of the subjects to
petition the King, and all committments and prosecutions for such petitioning
are illegal. 6. That the raising or keeping a standing
army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of
parliament, is against law. 7. That the subjects which are protestants,
may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions,and as allowed
by law. 8. That election of members of parliament
ought to be free. 9. That the freedom of speech, and debates
or proceedings in parliament, ought not to be impeached or questioned in
any court or place out of parliament. 10. That excessive bail ought not to be required,
nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 11. That jurors ought to be duly impanelled
and returned, and jurors which pass upon men in trials for high treason
ought to be freeholders. 12. That all grants and promises of fines
and forteitures of particular persons before conviction, are illegal and
void. 13. And that for redress of all grievances,
and for the amending, strengthening, and preserving of the laws, parliaments
ought to be held frequently. And they do claim, demand, and insist upon
all and singular the premisses, as their undoubted rights and liberties;
and that no declarations, judgements, doings or proceedings, ought in any
wise to be drawn hereafter into consequence or example. For correspondence: P.O. Box 1310 • Herndon, VA 20172-1310 df@declarationfoundation.com © 2008, Declaration Foundation • ® All rights reserved. |