English Bill of Rights

December 16, 1689 Whereas the late King James the Second, by the assistance of di ers e il co!nsellors, "!dges, and ministers em#loyed by him, did endea o!r to s!b ert and e$tir#ate the #rotestant religion, and the la%s and liberties of this &ingdom' 1' By ass!ming and e$ercising a #o%er of dis#ensing %ith and s!s#ending of la%s, and the e$ec!tion of la%s, %itho!t consent of #arliament' (' By committing and #rosec!ting di ers %orthy #relates, for h!mbly #etitioning to be e$c!sed from conc!rring to the said ass!med #o%er' )' By iss!ing and ca!sing to be e$ec!ted a commission !nder the great seal for erecting a co!rt called, *he co!rt of commissioners for ecclesiastical ca!ses' +' By le ying money for and to the !se of the cro%n, by #retence of #rerogati e, for other time, and in other manner, than the same %as granted by #arliament' ,' By raising and &ee#ing a standing army %ithin this &ingdom in time of #eace, %itho!t consent of #arliament, and -!artering soldiers contrary to la%' 6' By ca!sing se eral good s!b"ects, being #rotestants, to be disarmed, at the same time %hen #a#ists %ere both armed and em#loyed, contrary to la%' .' By iolating the freedom of election of members to ser e in #arliament' 8' By #rosec!tions in the co!rt of King/s bench, for matters and ca!ses cogni0able only in #arliament1 and by di ers other arbitrary and illegal co!rses' 9' 2nd %hereas of late years, #artial, corr!#t, and !n-!alified #ersons ha e been ret!rned and ser ed on "!ries in trials, and #artic!larly di ers "!rors in trials for high treason, %hich %ere not freeholders' 13' 2nd e$cessi e bail hath been re-!ired of #ersons committed in criminal cases, to el!de the benefit of the la%s made for the liberty of the s!b"ects' 11' 2nd e$cessi e fines ha e been im#osed1 and illegal and cr!el #!nishments ha e been inflicted' 1(' 2nd se eral grants and #romises made of fines and forfeit!res, before any con iction or "!dgment against the #ersons, !#on %hom the same %ere to be le ied' 2ll %hich are !tterly and directly contrary to the &no%n la%s and stat!tes, and freedom of this realm' 2nd %hereas the said late &ing James the Second ha ing abdicated the go ernment, and the throne being thereby acant ''' the said lords s#irit!al and tem#oral, and commons ''' do in the first #lace 4as their ancestors in li&e case ha e !s!ally done5 for the indicating and asserting their ancient rights and liberties, declare1 1' *hat the #retended #o%er of s!s#ending of la%s, or the e$ec!tion of la%s, by regal a!thority, %itho!t consent of #arliament, is illegal' (' *hat the #retended #o%er of dis#ensing %ith la%s, or the e$ec!tion of la%s, by regal a!thority, as it hath been ass!med and e$ercised of late, is illegal' )' *hat the commission for erecting the late co!rt of commissioners for ecclesiastical ca!ses, and all other commissions and co!rts of li&e nat!re are illegal and #ernicio!s' +' *hat le ying money for or to the !se of the cro%n, by #retence of #rerogati e, %itho!t grant of #arliament, for longer time, or in other

manner than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal' ,' *hat it is the right of the s!b"ects to #etition the King, and all committments 6sic7 and #rosec!tions for s!ch #etitioning are illegal' 6' *hat the raising or &ee#ing a standing army %ithin the &ingdom in time of #eace, !nless it be %ith consent of #arliament, is against la%' .' *hat the s!b"ects %hich are #rotestants, may ha e arms for their defence s!itable to their conditions, and as allo%ed by la%' 8' *hat election of members of #arliament o!ght to be free' 9' *hat the freedom of s#eech, and debates or #roceedings in #arliament, o!ght not to be im#eached or -!estioned in any co!rt or #lace o!t of #arliament' 13' *hat e$cessi e bail o!ght not to be re-!ired, nor e$cessi e fines im#osed1 nor cr!el and !n!s!al #!nishments inflicted' 11' *hat "!rors o!ght to be d!ly im#anelled and ret!rned, and "!rors %hich #ass !#on men in trials for high treason o!ght to be freeholders' 1(' *hat all grants and #romises of fines and forfeit!res of #artic!lar #ersons before con iction, are illegal and oid' 1)' 2nd that for redress of all grie ances, and for the amending, strengthening, and #reser ing of the la%s, #arliaments o!ght to be held fre-!ently' 2nd they do claim, demand, and insist !#on all and sing!lar the #remisses, as their !ndo!bted rights and liberties1 and that no declarations, "!dgments, doings or #roceedings, to the #re"!dice of the #eo#le in any of the said #remisses, o!ght in any %ise to be dra%n hereafter into conse-!ence or e$am#le' ' ' ' 89' :o% in #!rs!ance of the #remisses, the said lords s#irit!al and tem#oral, and commons, in #arliament assembled, for the ratifying, confirming and establishing the said declaration, and the articles, cla!ses, matters, and things therein contained, by the force of a la% made in d!e form by a!thority of #arliament, do #ray that it may be declared and enacted, *hat all and sing!lar the rights and liberties asserted and claimed in the said declaration, are the tr!e, ancient, and ind!bitable rights and liberties of the #eo#le of this &ingdom, and so shall be esteemed, allo%ed, ad"!dged, deemed, and ta&en to be, and that all and e ery the #artic!lars aforesaid shall be firmly and strictly holden and obser ed, as they are e$#ressed in the said declaration1 and all officers and ministers %hatsoe er shall ser e their ;a"esties and their s!ccessors according to the same in all times to come' ' ' ' <9' 2ll %hich their ;a"esties are contented and #leased shall be declared, enacted, and established by a!thority of this #resent #arliament, and shall stand, remain, and be the la% of this realm for e er1 and the same are by their said ;a"esties, by and %ith the ad ice and consent of the lords s#irit!al and tem#oral, and commons, in #arliament assembled, and by the a!thority of the same, declared, enacted, and established accordingly'