Government under William and Mary (1688-1702)

Established Jan 59 to plan for the furture of the monarchy and country. More radical whighs wanted to declare William King immediately but others favoured a role for his wife Mary by hereditary right. The Crown was offered to them both and a Dec of Right was presented, this doc outlined both the injustices of JII'S reign and a number of clauses that aimed to limit royal power, although their recognition of it was not a condition of accepting the Crown. The Dec was modified and many of its terms placed on the stature book as the Bill of Rights. 

Clauses: 

• Laws cannot be suspended by the monarchy without the consent of P. 
• Money cannout be granted to a monarhcy without the consent of P. 
• Subjects have the right to petition the moanrch and cannot be prosecuted for doing so. 
• A monarchy cannot keep a standing army in times of peace without the consent of P. 
• Elections ought to be free. 
• MPs and Lords should have freedom of speech when debating in P. 
• Excessive bail should not be sought by authorities or excessive fines imposed. 
• No cruel and unusual punishments should be inflicted. 
• P should be held frequently.

Did the Bill benefit King or P?

• P: prospect of absolutism diminished, legal positon of army uncertain, no doubt king needed P, citizens given rights and protections in law. 
• K: Accepted throne with no conditions, Hill states Bill was vague, no provisions for ensuring free elections, Morill states no contract between King and people, monarch free to decicde on war and peace and fp and advisers. 

As well as restricting the King's powers through the Bill, a number of Mutiny Acts were passed ensuring the monarchy could not court martial soliders at will without the consent of P. As each Mutiny Act was only valid for a year, the King had no choice but to turn to P regularly for approval.