the Office of the Ordnance; and next appointed Quarters for all the Englife, Scotch, and Irish Regiments, whom he difpofed all over the Kingdom. And on the 21st of December, a great Council of the Nobility met at St. James's, to the Number of Sixty, where they fubfcribed a Paper in the Name of an Affociation; after which, the Prince expreffed himself to them in thefe Words; I My Lords, Have defired you to meet here, to advife the best Manner bow to turfue the Ends of my Declaration, in calling a free Parliament for the Prefervation of the Protefiant Religion, and restoring the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdom, and fettling the ame, that they may not be in Danger t being again fubverted. • Upon which it was refolved, thefe Propofals should be further debated he next Day in the Houfe of Peers, nd Sir John Maynard, Mr Holt, Mr. 'olexfen, Mr. Bradford, and Mr. At non, Counsellors at Law, were orer'd to attend to give their Advice. Accordingly on the 22d they afmbled at Westminster, to the Numer of fifty five Lords Spiritual and 'emporal, who having confulted the proper Method to be taken this Exigence of Affairs, and hang heard of the King's Departure, the twenty fifth, Refolved on Addrefs to the Prince, wherein ey defired his Highness to take on him the Administration of all blick Affairs, both Civil and Miiry, and the Difpofal of the Pub. k Revenue, for the Prefervation Religion, and the Peace of the tion: And that he would take nticular Care of the Condition of land, to prevent the Dangers tatning that Kingdom, All which they defired him to undertake A. D. till the Meeting of a Convention, 1688. intended to be affembled on the 22d of January following. They further defired his Highness to fend Letters fubfcribed by himfelf, to all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and to all the Counties, Cities, Boroughs, &c. in England and Wales, to make Choice of fuch a Number of Members as they are of right to fend to ferve in Parliament, within ten Days after the Receipt of thofe Letters. Thefe Addreffes were figned by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal then affembled, and prefented to the Prince the fame Day, who accepted this Offer, and promifed them to perform what they had defired. On the 26th, the Members that had ferved in Parliament in King Charles the Second's Time, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Fifty of the Common-Council of Londen, were defired by the Prince to attend him and all but the Lord Mayor, who was fick, did fo, to the Number of One hundred and fixty, and were by him informed of the State of Affairs, and desired to repair to the Houfe of Commons, and confult what was convenient to be done; accordingly they went thither, and having fent to know what the Peers had done, they concurred with it, and prefented the fame Addreffes to the Prince, who gave them the fame Anfwer he had done to the Lords. On the 30th, the Prince put out a Proclamation for continuing Sheriffs, Juftices of Peace, &c. and on the 5th of January, an Order for preventing Diforders in Elections, commanding the Soldiery to retire out of all Towns during the Time of Election. The Nobility and Gentry of Scotland in and about London, were Ꮓ like A. D. likewife called to St. James's, where The Prince made a Speech to them, That he had, to the utmoft of his Power performed what they defired, in Order to the publick Peace, and had omitted nothing ' that tended to the Preservation of it, fince he had had the Admini ftration of Affairs: That it now I lay upon them to provide for the Security of their Religion, Laws, ⚫ and Liberties. That he did not doubt but that by fuch a full and free Representative of the Na'tion as was now met, the Ends of his Declaration would be at tained And as it hath pleased GOD hitherto to blefs his Intentions with fuch Success, he trufted he would compleat his Work, by fending a Spirit ⚫ of Peace and Union to influence their Councils. Then they withdrew to the Coun- His Highness finding the Treafu- On the 22d of January, the Convention met: The Houfe of Lords chofe the Marquifs of Hallifax their Speaker, and the Houfe of Commons Henry Powle, Efq; for theirs. After which, a Letter from the Prince was read to both Hcufts, on the Occafion of their Meeting, fetting forth, And then intimated to them the Danger of Delay, as well as of Dr vifion, by Reason of the dangere Condition of Ireland, and the Oc cafion Holland would have of ther Troops now in his Service; and p them in Mind of the Obligation we were under of affifting them, as they had Us, against a powerful Enemy now declared against them. The firft Thing the Conventice did, was to prefent an Address Thanks to his Highness, for be Deliverance he had wrought Them, and for his Care in the miniftration of the Governme which they defired him to contin To which the Prince expreffed ha felf in this manner : My Lords and Gentlemen, I am glad that what I bart bath pleafed you; and fince you fire me to continue the Adminifre of Affairs, I am willing to accep I muji recommend to you the C rations of Affairs Abroad; which'; keth it fit for you to expedite, finefs, not only for making & Sec ment at Home upon a good Foundation, but for the Safety of all Europe. On the 28th of January, the Houfe of Commons paffed this Vote, viz. Refolved, That King James the Second, having endeavour'd to fubvert the Conftitution of this Kingdom, by breaking the Original CONTRACT between the King and People; and by the Advice of Jefuits and other wicked Perfons, having violated the Fundamental Laws, and having withdrawn bimself out of the Kingdom, bath Adicated the Government, and the Throne is thereby Vacant. Which Vote was fent to the Lords for their Concurrence. Whereupon followed several Conferences between the Lords and Commons, which took up feveral Days; till at last, on the 6th of Febru ary, the Lords concurred with the Commons in the abovefaid Vote. After which followed many Debates concerning a Regency during King James's Life; which being reected, the Declaration of the Princess of Orange, as next Succeffor, was prosofed by fome; the Election of the Prince of Orange for King by others: Which occafioned warm Debates hat continued fome Days, till at last hey agreed in a Medium; And, On the 12th of February, both Houfes agreed in the following De laration. The DECLARATION of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commoms, Assembled at Westminster. And whereas of late Years, partial, corrupt, and unqualified Perfons, have been returned and fer WHEREAS the late King ved on Juries and Trials, and par James the Second, by the Affiftance of divers evil Counfellors, Judges, and Minifters, ticularly divers Jurors in Trials of High Treafon, which were not Free-holders. And exceive Bail 22 A. D. 1688. Bail hath been required of Perfons ⚫ committed in criminal Cafes, to elude the Benefit of the Law made for the Liberty of the Subject. And exceffive Fines have been impofed. And illegal and cruel 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 be. ing 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 Counties, Cities, Universities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, for the chufing fuch Perlons to reprefent Them, as were of Right to be fent to Parliament, to Meet and Sit at Weftminfier, upon 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 Lettters, Elections have been accordingly • made. ་ 6 That the pretended Power of 'Sufpending 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 Commifio'ners for Ecclefiaftical Caufes, and 'all other Commiffioners and Courts of the like Nature are illegal and ' pernicious. That levying 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 legal. That it is the Right of the Sub Ijects to Petition the King; and all Commitments and Profecutions for fuch petitioning, are illegal. That the raifing or keeping: Standing Army within the Kirg 'dom, in the time of Peace, unle ' it be by Confent of Parliament, against Law. That the Subjects, being Pres. ftants, may have Arms for the Defence, fuitable to their Conc tion, and all allow'd by Law That the Election of Member ' of Parliament ought to be Free. 6 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 'Sole 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 Princefs, during their joynt Lives; and after their de ceafes 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 Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, do · pray the faid Prince and Princess of Orange, to accept the fame accordingly. And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned, be taken by all Perfons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy might be required by Law, inftead of them : and that the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be Abrogated. and bear True Allegiance to their Majeflies King William and Queen Mary. ced by him, and ftill prefervefwear, That I will be faithful * them from the Violation of their Rights, which they have here af ferted, and from all other Attempts upon their Religion, Rights, and Liberties: So help me God. A. B. Do Swear, That I do from my Heart Abhor, Deteft, and Abjure, as impious and Heretical, this damnable Doctrine and Pofition, That Princes Excommunicated or Deprived by the Pope, or any Authority of the See of Rome, may be Depofed or Murdered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoever. declare, That na Foreign Prince, Per23 And I do A. D. 1688. |