Editing Bill of Rights 1689 (section)

==Background==
During the 17th&nbsp;century, there was [[Magna Carta#17th–18th centuries|renewed interest in Magna Carta]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bl.uk/magna-carta/videos/from-legal-document-to-public-myth-magna-carta-in-the-17th-century |title=From legal document to public myth: Magna Carta in the 17th&nbsp;century |website=The British Library |access-date=2017-10-16 |postscript=none |archive-date=27 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327042835/https://www.bl.uk/magna-carta/videos/from-legal-document-to-public-myth-magna-carta-in-the-17th-century |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sal.org.uk/events/2015/06/magna-carta-magna-carta-in-the-17th-century/|title=Magna Carta: Magna Carta in the 17th&nbsp;century|website=The Society of Antiquaries of London|access-date=2017-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925053248/https://www.bl.uk/magna-carta/videos/from-legal-document-to-public-myth-magna-carta-in-the-17th-century|archive-date=2018-09-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Parliament of England]] passed the [[Petition of Right]] in 1628 which established certain liberties for subjects. The [[English Civil War]] (1642–1651) was fought between the King and an oligarchic but elected Parliament,<ref>{{cite web |title=Origins and growth of Parliament |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/citizen_subject/origins.htm |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=7 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rise of Parliament |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/rise_parliament/citizenship2.htm |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=7 April 2015}}</ref> during which the notion of long-term political parties took form with the [[New Model Army]] Grandees and humble, [[Levellers|leveller]]-influenced figures debating a new constitution in the [[Putney Debates]] of 1647.<ref>{{cite web |title=Putney debates |url=https://www.bl.uk/taking-liberties/articles/putney-debates |publisher=The British Library |access-date=22 December 2016 |archive-date=22 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222223321/https://www.bl.uk/taking-liberties/articles/putney-debates |url-status=dead }}</ref> Parliament was largely cowed by the executive during [[the Protectorate]] (1653–1659) and most of the twenty-five years of Charles II's [[English Restoration]] from 1660. However, it, with the advantage of the growth in printed pamphlets and support of the [[City of London]], was able to temper some of the executive excess, intrigue and largesse of the government, especially the [[Cabal ministry]] who signed a [[Secret Treaty of Dover]] that allied [[England]] to [[Kingdom of France|France]] in a prospective war against oft-allies the [[Dutch Republic]].<ref>Durant, Will and Ariel. ''The Age of Louis XIV.'' (page 277) New York: Simon And Schuster, 1963.</ref> It had already passed the [[Habeas Corpus Act 1679]], which strengthened the convention that forbade detention lacking sufficient cause or evidence.

===Glorious Revolution===
{{Main|Glorious Revolution}}
Objecting to the policies of [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King]] [[James II of England]] (James&nbsp;VII of [[Scotland]] and James&nbsp;II of Ireland), a group of English Parliamentarians invited the [[Dutch Republic|Dutch]] [[stadtholder]] [[William III of England|William&nbsp;III]] of [[House of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau]] (William of Orange) to overthrow the King. William's successful invasion with a Dutch fleet and army led to James' fleeing to France. In December&nbsp;1688, peers of the realm appointed William as provisional governor. It was widely acknowledged that such action was constitutional if the monarch were incapacitated. The peers summoned an assembly of many members of parliament. This assembly called for an [[Convention Parliament (1689)|English Convention Parliament]] to be elected, which convened on 22&nbsp;January 1689.{{sfn|Anon.|2010|pp=2–4}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill of Rights|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/takingliberties/staritems/510billofrights.html|publisher=British Library|access-date=23 June 2015|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922231834/http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/takingliberties/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Declaration of Right===
{{Main|Declaration of Right, 1689}}
[[File:Samuel Wale, The Bill of Rights Ratified at the Revolution by King William, and Queen Mary, Previous to their Coronation (1783).jpg|thumb|An 18th-century engraving, based on a drawing by [[Samuel Wale]], of the Bill of Rights being presented to [[William III of England|William&nbsp;III]] and [[Mary II of England|Mary&nbsp;II]]]]
The proposal to draw up a statement of rights and liberties and James's violation of them was first made on 29&nbsp;January 1689 in the [[House of Commons of England|House of Commons]], with members arguing that the House "cannot answer it to the nation or Prince of Orange till we declare what are the rights invaded" and that William "cannot take it ill if we make conditions to secure ourselves for the future" in order to "do justice to those who sent us hither". On 2&nbsp;February a committee specially convened reported to the Commons 23&nbsp;Heads of Grievances, which the Commons approved and added some of their own. However, on 4&nbsp;February the Commons decided to instruct the committee to differentiate between "such of the general heads, as are introductory of new laws, from those that are declaratory of ancient rights". On 7&nbsp;February the Commons approved this revised Declaration of Right, and on 8&nbsp;February instructed the committee to put into a single text the Declaration (with the heads which were "introductory of new laws" removed), the resolution of 29&nbsp;January and the Lords' proposal for a revised oath of allegiance. It passed the Commons without division.{{sfn|Horwitz|1977|p=12}}

On 13&nbsp;February the clerk of the House of Lords read the Declaration of Right, and the [[George Savile, 1st&nbsp;Marquess of Halifax|Marquess of Halifax]], in the name of all the estates of the realm, asked William and Mary to accept the throne. William replied for his wife and himself: "We thankfully accept what you have offered us". They then went in procession to the [[Holbein Gate|Great Gate]] at Whitehall. In a ceremony in the [[Banqueting House]], [[Thomas St George|Garter King of Arms]] proclaimed them King and Queen of England, France, and Ireland, whereupon they adjourned to the [[Chapel Royal#St James's Palace|Chapel Royal]], with the [[Henry Compton (bishop)|Bishop of London]] preaching the sermon.{{sfn |Carpenter|1956|pp=145–146}} They were crowned on 11&nbsp;April, swearing an oath to uphold the laws made by Parliament. The [[Coronation Oath Act 1688]]  had provided a new coronation oath, whereby the monarchs were to "solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this kingdom of England, and the dominions thereunto belonging, according to the statutes in parliament agreed on, and the laws and customs of the same". They were also to maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel, and the Protestant Reformed faith established by law.{{sfn|Williams|1960|pp=37–39}} This replaced an oath which had deferred more to the monarch. The previous oath required the monarch to rule based on "the laws and customs ... granted by the Kings of England".<ref name=refUKPBoR>{{cite web|title= The Convention and Bill of Rights|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/overview/billofrights/|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=2 November 2014}}</ref>