religion, and the laws and liberties of these kingdoms; so I shall always be ready to expose myself to any hazard, for the defense of the same.

(Kennett, ed. cit., III, 540.)

185. William of Orange to the Commons

(Dec. 26, 1688)

In accordance with the invitation of the Prince of Orange (No. 181) members of the Commons' House of the Parliaments held during the reign of Charles II., and the Lord Mayor and court of the City of London, as well as representatives of the Common Council of the City of London, gathered for the purpose of forming a Parliament. The Prince briefly addressed them, and authorized them to carry out the purpose of their meeting.

You gentlemen that have been members of the late Parliaments, I have desired you to meet me here, to advise the best manner how to persue the ends of my declaration, in calling a free Parliament, for the preservation of the Protestant religion, and the restoring the rights and liberties of the kingdom, and settling the same, that they may not be in danger of being again subverted.

And you the aldermen and members of the Common-Council of the City of London, I desire the same of you. And in regard your numbers are like to be great, you may, if you think fit, divide yourselves, and sit in several places.

(Kennett, ed. cit., III, 539.

186. The Commons Answer the Prince

(Dec. 26, 1688)

Upon receipt of the command (No. 185) the Commons unanimously consented to proceed with the organization of parliamentary government. They thanked the Prince for undertaking the care of the kingdom, and suggested methods for calling the Parliament together.

We who have served as members of the Parliaments during the reign of the late King Charles II. together with the Court of Aldermen, and members of the Common-Council of the City of London, assembled at Your Highness's desire (in this extraordinary conjuncture), do, with an unanimous consent, tender to your Highness our humble and hearty thanks, for your coming in this kingdom, and exposing your person to so great hazards, for the preservation of our religion, laws, and liberties, and rescuing us from the miseries of popery and slavery: And desire your Highness, that

(in pursuance of those ends, and for the preservation of the peace of the nation) your Highness will take upon you the administration of public affairs, both civil and military, and the disposal of the public revenue.

We do also desire, That your Highness will take into your particular care, the present condition of Ireland; and endeavour, by the most speedy and effectual means, to prevent the dangers threatening that kingdom.

All which, we desire your Highness to undertake and execute, until the meeting of the intended convention, the 22d day of January next.....

[Suggestions as to summoning Parliament follow. They are almost identical with those of the Lords. No. 183.]

(Kennett, ed. cit., III, 539.)

187. The Prince's Address to Parliament

'On Tuesday, January 22, 1688-9, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, assembled at Westminster: the Lord Marquis of Halifax, executed the place of Speaker in the House of Lords, and the Commons chose Henry Powle, Esq., to be their speaker. After which this letter from the Prince of Orange was read in both Houses on the occasion of their meeting.'

I have endeavoured, to the utmost of my power, to perform what was desired from me, in order to the public peace and safety, and I do not know that any thing hath been omitted, which might tend to the preservation of them, since the administration of affairs was put into my hands. It now lieth upon you to lay the foundations of a firm security for your religion, your laws, and your liberties.

I do not doubt, but that by such a full and free representative of the nation, as is now met, the ends of my declaration will be attained: And since it hath pleased God hitherto to bless my good intentions with so good success; I trust in Him, that we will complete His own work, by sending a spirit of peace and union, to influence your counsels, that no interruption may be given to an happy and lasting settle

ment.

The dangerous condition of the Protestants in Ireland, require a large and speedy succour; and the present state of things abroad, oblige me to tell you, that next to the danger of unseasonable divisions amongst yourselves, nothing can be so fatal, as too great a delay in your consultations. The states, by whom I have been enabled to rescue this nation, may suddenly feel the ill effects of it, both by being too long

deprived of the service of their troops, which are now here, and of your early assistance against a powerful enemy, who hath declared war against them. And as England is by treaty already engaged to help them upon such exigencies, so I am confident that their cheerful concurrence to preserve this kingdom with so much hazard to themselves, will meet with all the returns of friendship and assistance, which may be expected from you as Protestants and Englishmen, whenever their condition shall require it.

(Kennett, ed. cit., III, 541.)

188. The Parliamentary Title of the Sovereigns of England

(Feb. 13, 1688)

The era of Kingship by Divine Right passed with the fugitive Stuart. Once again in England the principle of an elective Kingship was vindicated. The title of William and Mary plainly rested upon parliamentary action, and since 1688 the Sovereigns of England have had in the will of the people a sure foundation for their thrones. The determination of William to be the sole executive head of the nation, a determination that prohibited the co-sovereignty of Mary, - is clearly shown in the act conferring the crown upon him.

The said Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons assembled at Westminster, do Resolve:

That William and Mary, Prince and Princess 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 said kingdoms and Dominions, to them the said Prince and Princess during their lives, and the life of the survivor of them; and that the sole and full exercise of the royal power be only in, and executed by the said Prince of Orange, in the names of the Prince and Princess during their lives; And after their deceases, the said crown and royal dignity of the said kingdoms and dominions to the heirs of the body of the said Princes; And for default of such issue, to the Princess Anne of Denmark, and the heirs of her body; a rd for default of such issue, to the heirs of the body of the said Prince of Orange.

And the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, do pray the said Prince and Princess of Orange to accept the same accordingly.

REPLY OF THE KING

My Lords and Gentlemen:

This is certainly the greatest proof of the trust you have

in me that can be given, which is the thing that makes us value it the more: And as I had no other intention in coming hither, than to preserve your religion, laws, and liberties, so you may be sure, that I shall endeavour to support them, and shall be willing to concur in anything that shall be for the good of the kingdom, and to do all that is in my power to advance the welfare and glory of the nation.

189. The Bill of Rights

(1 W. & M. S. 2, c. 2, 1689)

(Kennett, ed. cit., III, 548.)

Statutes of the Realm

Among the great constitutional documents the Bill of Rights, passed in October, 1689, ranks with the Magna Charta. On this great Act Macaulay says: "The Declaration of Right, though it made nothing law which had not been law before, contained the germ of the law which gave religious freedom to the Dissenter, of the law which secured the independence of the judges, of the law which limited the duration of parliaments, of the law which placed the liberty of the press under the protection of juries, of the law which prohibited the slave trade, of the law which abolished the sacramental test, of the law which relieved the Roman Catholics from civil disabilities, of the law which reformed the representative system, of every good law which has been passed during more than a century and a half, of every good law which may hereafter, in the course of ages, be found necessary to promote the public weal, and to satisfy the demands of public opinion."

BILL OF RIGHTS

Whereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, assembled at Westminster, lawfully, fully, and freely representing all the estates of the people of this realm, did, upon the thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty-eight, present unto their Majesties, then called and known by the names and style or William and Mary, Prince and Princess of Orange, being present in their proper persons, a certain declaration in writing, made by the said Lords and Commons, in the words following; viz:

Whereas the late King James II., by the assistance of diverse evil counsellors, judges, and ministers employed by him, did endeavour 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 form concurring to the same assumed power.

3. By issuing and causing to be executed a commission under the Great Seal for erecting a court, called the Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes.

4. 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 diverse 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 diverse 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.

II. And excessive fines have been imposed; and illegal and cruel punishments inflicted.

12. And several grants and promises made of fines and forfeitures, before any conviction or judgment 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 II. having abdicated the government, and the throne being thereby vacant, his Highness the Prince of Orange (whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the glorious instrument of delivering this kingdom from popery and arbitrary power) did (by the advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and diverse principal persons of the Commons) cause letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, being Protestants, and other letters to the several counties, cities, universities, boroughs, and cinque ports, for the choosing of such persons