February.

Upon which the Houfe divided

Contents 48.

Non-contents 51.

This very much facilitated the Concurrence of the two Houfes in the other Vote.

The Throne being thus declared vacant, fome were for the Frince of Orange to be Elected King alone, others for the Princess to be forthwith proclaimed and acknowledged as next Immediate Heir of the Crown of England, and others were for a Commonwealth. But the two ftrongest parties were those who were for the Prince, and those that were for the Princefs, to that at laft there was a way found to twist these two into one by giving the Title indifferently to both, and the Adminiftration folely to the Prince, to avoid the inconvenience of two co-ordinate Soveraigns.

Whileft these things were warmly debated in the Convention and the Town, and all men were yet in fufpence which way they would be determin'd fome that were over zealous fet a foot the following Petition the firft of February, and endeavoured to have it fubfcribed by the Multitude indifferently, going up and down to publick places to folicite Subscriptions.

To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Assembled in the Grand Convention, the Humble Petition of Great Numbers of Citizens, and other Inhabitants of the Cities of London and Westminster.

W

'Hereas we are in a deep fenfe of the danger of Delays, and perplext Debates about fettling the Government, at this time Vacant, by reafon whereof the neceffary-ends of Government cannot be duly adminiftred.

We humbly defire that his moft Illuftrious Highness the Prince of Orange, and his Royal Confort the Princess, may be fpeedily fetled in the Throne, by whofe Courage, Conduct and Reputation, this Nation and the Proteftant Religion may be defended from our Enemies at Home and abroad; And that Ireland now in a bleeding and deplorable condition, may be rescued from its miferies,and thefe Kingdoms fettled on a lafting foundation in Peace and Liberty.

Whereupon his Highnefs being informed of the ill confequences and fcandal of this way of proceeding caufed this Order to be made and published to fupprefs it.

By

By the Mayor,

WH

Hereas his Highness the Prince of Orange, hath been pleafed to fignifie to me this day, That divers perfons (pretending themselves to be Citizens of London) in a tumultuous and a diforderly manner have lately difturbed the present Convention of the Lords and Commons at Westminster, upon pretence of Petitioning. It being regular and ufual for the Citi zens of this City that are under the apprehenfion of any Grievance, to make their application to my felf and the Court of Aldermen: Therefore with the Advice of my Brethren, the Aldermen of this City, thefe are to require you, That you command within your Ward, that they forbear any fuch tumultuous Disturbance, or Affembly; as they will anfwer the contrary at their utmoft peril. Dated the third day of February 1688.

The twelfth of February the two Houfes at laft fully agreed all things in difpute between them in this manner.

The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Com mons Affembled at Westminster.

W

Hereas the late King James the Second by the Affistance of divers evil Counsellors, Judges and Minifters employ'd by him, did endeavour to fubject and extirpate the Proteftant Religion, and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom.

By affuming and exercifing a power of Difpenfing with, and fufpending of Laws, and the Execution of Laws, with out confent of Parliament.

By committing and profecuting divers worthy Prelates, for humbly Petitioning to be excufed from concurring to the faid Aflumed Power.

By iffuing and caufing to be Executed a Commiffion under the Great Seal, for erecting a Court call'd, The Court of Com miffion for Ecclefiaftical Affairs.

By Levying Money for and to the ufe of the Crown, by pretence of Prerogative, for other time and in other manner, than the fame was Granted by Parliament.

By railing and keeping a ftanding Army within the King. dom in time of Peace, without confent of Parliament; and Quartering Soldiers contrary to Law.

By

February.

1

February.

By caufing feveral good Subjects being Proteftants, to be difarmed, at the fame time when Papilts were both Armed and imployed contrary to Law.

By violating the Freedom of Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament.

By Profecutions in the Court of Kings-Bench, for matters and caufes cognizable only in Parliament, and by divers other Arbitrary and Illegal courfes.

And whereas of late years, partial, corrupt, and unqualified perfons have been returned and ferved on Juries in Trials, and particularly divers Jurors in Trials for High Treafon, which were not Freeholders.

And Exceffive Bail hath been required of perfons committed in Criminal cafes, to elude the Benefit of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subject.

And Exceffive Fines have been impofed.

And Illegal and crel punishments inflicted.

And feveral Grants and Promifes made of Fines and Forfeitures before any Conviction or Judgment against the perfons upon whom the fame 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 late King James the Second, having abdicated the Government, and the Throne being thereby vacant.

His Highness the Prince of Orange (whom it hath pleafed Almighty God to make the Glorious-Inftrument of Delivering this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power) did (by the Advice of 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 feveral Counties, Cities, Universities, Burroughs and Cinque Ports for the chufing of fuch perfons to reprefent them, as were of right to be fent to Parliament, to meet and fit at Westminster pon the 22d day of January 1688, in order to fuch an Establishment, as that their Religion, Laws, and Liberties, might not again be in danger of being fubverted, upon which Letters Elections have been accordingly made.

And thereupon the faid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, purfuant to their Refpective Letters and Elections,

being now Affembled in a full and Free Reprefentative of this February. Nation, taking into their most serious confideration the best means for attaining the Ends aforefaid, do in the first place (as their Ancestors in like cafe have ufually done) for the vindica ting and afferting their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare, That the pretended power of fufpending of Laws, or the Execution of Laws, by Regal Authority, without confent of Parliament, is illegal.

That the pretended power of Difpenfing with Laws, or the Execution of Laws, by Regal Authority, as it hath been affumed and exercifed of late, is illegal.

That the Commiffion for erecting the late Court of Commif fioners for Ecclefiaftical Caufes, and all other Commiffions and Courts of the like nature, are illegal and pernicious.

That Levying of Money to or for the ufe of the Crown, by pretence of Prerogative, without Grant of Parliament, for longer time, or in other manner, than the fame is or shall be Granted, is illegal.

That it is the Right of the Subjects to Petition the King,and all Commitments and Profecutions for fuch Petitioning are illegal.

That the railing or keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace, unless it be by consent of Parliament is against Law.

That the Subjects being Proteftants may have Arms for their Defence fuitable to their condition, and as allowed by Law. That the Election of Members of Parliament ought to be Free.

That the freedom of Speech, and Debates, or Proceedings in Parliament, ought not to be impeached or queftioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament.

That Exceffive Bail ought not to be required, nor Exceffive Fines impofed,nor cruel and unufual punishments inflicted. That Jurors ought to be duly Impannel'd and return'd, and Jurors which pafs upon men in Trials for High Treafon ought to be Freeholders.

That all Grants and Promifes of Fines and Forfeitures of particular perfons before Conviction, are illegal and void. And that for Redrefs of all Grievances, and for the amend ing, ftrengthing, and preferving of the Laws, Parliaments, ught to be held frequently.

S

And

February.

And they do claim, demand, and infift upon all and fingular the Premiles, as their undoubted Rights and Liberties; and that no Declarations, Judgments, Doings, or Proceedings, to the prejudice of the people in any of the faid Premises, ought in any wife to be drawn hereafter into confequence or example.

To which demand of their Rights they are particularly ens couraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange, as being the only means for obtaining a full redrefs. and remedy therein.

Having therefore an intire confidence, that his faid Highnefs the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance fo far advanced by him, and will ftill preserve them from the vio lation of their Rights, which they have here afferted, and from all other attempts upon their Religion, Rights and Liberties.

The faid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons affembled at Westminster do refolve,

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 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 Princess during their joynt Lives; and after their Deceafes, the faid Crown and Royal Dignity of the faid Kingdoms and Dominions to be to the Heirs of the Body of the faid Princess; and for default of fuch Iffue, to the Princess Anne of Denmark, and the Heirs of her Body; and for default of fuch Iffue, to the Heirs of the Body of the faid Prince of Orange.

And the faid Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Com mons, do pray the faid Prince and Princefs of Orange to accept the fame accordingly.

And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by allperfons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy might be required by Law, inftead of them; and that the faid Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be abrogated..

LAR