#The Bill of Rights of 1688

[aressida]

Australia's Constitution: The Importance of Understanding the Australian Constitution and Our Rights.

The Australian Constitution is a document that plays a crucial role in protecting our rights and freedoms as citizens. It is unfortunate that many of us were not taught about it in school and are unaware of our rights under this constitution.

The government benefits from the lack of knowledge about our Constitution and the Bill of Rights of 1688. This lack of awareness allows the government to potentially infringe upon our rights without our knowledge or ability to protest.

The Bill of Rights of 1688 was imposed on William and Mary before they could form a government. It placed limits on their power and protected the rights of the people. These rights included the freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial, the right to bear arms, and many others.

These rights have been listed as follows:

-> The right to own private land or property.

-> The right to practice our normal customs.

-> The right to a fair trial by our peers (equals).

-> The right to freedom from cruel or unjust arrest, search, seizure, detention, fines or imprisonment without conviction, or excessive bail.

-> The right to free and open elections.

-> The right to face our accuser in open court.

-> Legal representation.

-> The right to remain silent & not be forced to incriminate oneself.

-> Innocent until proven guilty.

-> Freedom of movement, assembly, association, speech, expression.

-> Parliamentary privilege.

-> The right to bear arms.

When Australia was settled in 1788, we inherited the English Common Law. The Australian Courts Act of 1828 confirmed this, ensuring that there was no doubt about the common law's influence on our legal system.

Our Constitution, alongside the Bill of Rights, protects us in various ways. It guarantees our right to vote, fair compensation if the government acquires property, trial by jury, freedom of trade and commerce between states, freedom of religion, and protection against discrimination based on state of residence.

It is essential to understand that our rights are not granted by the government but are a gift from a higher power. The people dictate the extent of the government's power, as exemplified by the Bill of Rights.

On July 9, 1900, Queen Victoria gave her Royal Assent to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, further securing the protection of the people under the Constitution.

In conclusion, it is vital for us to educate ourselves about the Australian Constitution and our rights under it. By doing so, we can ensure that our government upholds these rights and prevent potential infringements on our freedoms. Knowledge is power, and it is our duty to protect our rights for future generations.

[nobility-art]

Portrait of Queen Mary II

Artist: Jan van der Vaart (1647-1721)

Depicted People: Queen Mary II (1662-1694), Reigned with William III 1689-94.

Genre: Portrait

Date: circa 1692-1694

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery

Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. She was also Princess of Orange following her marriage on 4 November 1677. Her joint reign with William over Britain is known as that of William and Mary.

Mary was born during the reign of her uncle King Charles II. She was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York (the future James II of England), and his first wife, Anne Hyde. Mary and her sister Anne were raised as Anglicans at the behest of Charles II, although their parents both converted to Roman Catholicism. Charles lacked legitimate children, making Mary second in the line of succession. At the age of 15, she married her cousin William of Orange, a Protestant. Charles died in 1685 and James became king, making Mary heir presumptive. James's attempts at rule by decree and the birth of his son from a second marriage, James Francis Edward (later known as "the Old Pretender"), led to his deposition in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the adoption of the English Bill of Rights.

William and Mary became king and queen regnant. Mary mostly deferred to her husband – a renowned military leader and principal opponent of Louis XIV – when he was in England. She did, however, act alone when William was engaged in military campaigns abroad, proving herself to be a powerful, firm, and effective ruler. Mary's death from smallpox in 1694 at the age of 32 left William as sole ruler until his death in 1702, when he was succeeded by Mary's sister, Anne.

[memoriae-lectoris]

Chenoune notes that, in eighteenth-century England, “ostentatiously expensive dress was associated with French fashion and Francophilia… particularly following the Puritan revolution and Cromwell’s Commonwealth that had condemned the British royalty to a forced twenty-year sojourn at the court of France.”

Indeed, when the English monarchy was restored in 1660, Charles II—having learned from his father’s tragic example—established a new, understated mode of court dress: a vest and frock coat ensemble that became the prototype for the three-piece suit. According to historian David Kuchta, “In introducing the three-piece suit, Charles II attempted to appropriate an iconoclastic, oppositional ideology [first developed as a critique of the monarchy] and use it to redefine court culture.… [C]ultural authority would be expressed by elite opposition to luxury, not by making conspicuous consumption the exclusive prerogative of the court.” Subsequent events—most notably the Glorious Revolution of 1688 which established England’s first Bill of Rights—reinforced the move away from aristocratic opulence and toward frugality: on the streets of London, highborn and commoner alike exhibited a new sobriety in dress.

[8838177055]

Long Parliament

The Long Parliament was a critical episode in English history that began in 1640 and played a pivotal role in the lead-up to the English Civil War. While summarizing such a complex and transformative period in only 1000 words is challenging, I'll provide an overview of the Long Parliament, its significance, key events, and its aftermath.

The Long Parliament: In November 1640, King Charles I of England summoned a new Parliament to address a financial crisis and growing discontent in his kingdom. This Parliament, which lasted for over a decade, is known as the "Long Parliament" due to its extended duration, as it wasn't dissolved until 1660.

Significance: The Long Parliament had profound and lasting implications for English history. It marked a period of intense political and constitutional conflict between the monarchy and Parliament and ultimately led to the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642.

Key Events:

The Petition of Right (1628): Prior to the Long Parliament, tensions had been building between Charles I and his subjects over issues like taxation and religious policies. In 1628, Parliament forced Charles to sign the Petition of Right, limiting his powers.

Disputes Over Religion: Religious differences played a significant role in the tensions. The Church of England faced challenges from various religious groups, such as Puritans and Presbyterians, who sought more reform and control over the church.

Financial Struggles: Charles I's extravagant spending and disputes with Parliament over taxation and revenue collection exacerbated the financial crisis.

The Root-and-Branch Petition (1640): A Puritan petition presented to Parliament, calling for sweeping reforms in the Church of England, increased religious tensions.

The Triennial Act (1641): This act required Parliament to be summoned at least once every three years, limiting the king's ability to rule without Parliament's consent.

The Grand Remonstrance (1641): A document outlining Parliament's grievances and demanding various reforms, it deepened the political divide and prompted accusations of treason against its authors.

The Attempted Arrest of the Five Members (1642): Charles I attempted to arrest five leading Parliamentarians, triggering a major crisis. Parliamentarians saw this as an assault on their rights and privileges, further inflaming tensions.

The Outbreak of the English Civil War (1642): With tensions reaching a breaking point, the English Civil War began. Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads) fought for control of England.

The Execution of Charles I (1649): The Civil War culminated in the defeat of the royalists, and King Charles I was tried, convicted, and executed for high treason in January 1649. England became a Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell's leadership.

Aftermath: The Long Parliament's dissolution in 1660 marked the end of the English Republic, and the monarchy was restored with Charles II. However, it did not result in an absolute monarchy, as the Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and the Bill of Rights.

In conclusion, the Long Parliament was a turbulent period in English history characterized by political and religious conflict, financial strife, and ultimately, the outbreak of a civil war. Its repercussions reverberated through the centuries, contributing to the development of constitutional and parliamentary principles that cont

[fearless-eagle]

Works of John Bunyan — by John Bunyan and George Offor— INTRODUCTION Part 2

Works of John Bunyan — by John Bunyan and George Offor— INTRODUCTION Part 2

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684 This poverty-stricken, ragged tinker was the son of a working mechanic at Elston, near Bedford. So obscure was his origin that even the Christian name of his father is yet unknown: he was born in 1628, a year memorable as that in which the Bill of Rights was passed. Then began the struggle against arbitrary power, which was overthrown in 1688, the year of…

[thepastisalreadywritten]

PART 2/2

[celticcrossanon]

I am trying to put together a list of the legal requirements for someone to be in the line of succession for the British throne, so I have them all to hand whenever I need them. So far I have that permission for marriage has to be given before the marriage for the first six in line to the throne (from the Succession to the Crown Act 2013), and that the person has to be a descendant of Sophia of Hanover and not a Roman Catholic (from the Bill of Rights, 1688). I know there is stuff about the child being born in legal marriage and of the body of the mother, but I can't find it. If anyone knows where those conditions are hiding, please let me know.

[baby-impalas]

make a wish

pairing: bill denbrough x reader

warnings: fluff, unedited, swearing

word count: 1688

might make a part two ! idk yet :)

another night.

another stupid night not a single one of your so called ‘friends’ had contacted you. you had five close friends, and lately you’d felt as though they didn’t really care much for you. so, you ran a little experiment: wait for them to get ahold of you instead of vice versa, which was how it usually happened. and for three weeks none of them called or stopped by. you’d have to face them all next week when school started, and you still weren’t sure how you would handle things. if you’d act like nothing ever happened or give them a piece of your mind. until you saw them you couldn’t know for sure.

the sting of betrayal was making you stir restlessly in your bed one particular friday night. the clock beside your bed read 2:17. was it too late to go out?

not if your mom didn’t catch you.

so, you grabbed your skateboard and hopped out your bedroom window, walked to the edge of the roof, and jumped off. it wasn’t far - maybe one story since the roof was slanted. this was a common activity for you. not that you snuck out a lot to go party or whatever - skateboarding at night was the biggest stress reliever you had up your sleeve. it seemed odd and was probably dangerous considering you were a teenage girl out on the streets in the middle of the night, but you did carry a pocket knife.

it wasn’t cold, but it definitely wasn’t warm either. you didn’t mind - you’d been out in single digit weather before. eventually, the cold just sorta faded into numbness.

you placed your board in the middle of the road, balanced a foot in its designated spot, and took off. finding a comfortable place for both your feet to rest took a little while at first, but the more you practiced the quicker you found that perfect spot, and the quicker you could surge down the street.

pushing off again and again, you flew down the road just as all your previous concerns about unloyal friends soared from your mind. skating required focus and balance. it was the perfect distraction.

especially when your wheel caught on a rock halfway down the street and you hit the ground with a thud before rolling into the grass. your knee throbbed as you glanced up to the parking lot and soccer field that stretched out ahead. this street was home to said soccer field along with a park close nearby. neither were really your thing.

the pressure of the ground on your knee sat you up, and you leaned your back against a street sign pole. pulling up your sweatpants revealed a bloody cut the size of your middle finger. it wasn’t really a big deal - nothing you hadn’t handled before. plus the scars always looked cool.

“excuse me,” the voice was gentle, but you jumped nevertheless.

a boy about your age was standing timid with a kind face in the middle of the street. he was holding your board.

“i was on my p-porch and saw you f-f-fall,” he carefully reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin piece of paper. “b-brought you a b-bandaid.”

he held out both the board and bandage to you.

“thanks,” you said, accepting the items from his hands. the board you set down - the bandage you placed over the cut. you could clean and disinfect later.

“yeah.” a brief, slightly uncomfortable silence. “c-can i sit?” “sure.”

the boy did just that, leaning up against the pole with you. he crossed his legs and his hands sat in his lap, his thumb casually stroking his palm.

“i’m y/n,” you said, deciding to break the silence because, hey, the kid did bring you a bandaid.

“i’m bill,” he said, turning to look at you.

“why are you up so late?”

“i w-was looking at the stars,” he said.

“they are pretty,” you said. “sometimes i’ll just stare at them out my window. i read somewhere that when people die they turn into a star. kinda morbid to think that you’re looking at a bunch of dead souls, but i think i’d be okay with dying if it meant getting to be that beautiful and tranquil.”

okay so maybe you rambled just a little when you were nervous. why were you even nervous? this was just some random kid who gave you a bandaid at 2 a.m…

a random kid who was kinda cute. “i haven’t heard that before. that’s a n-nice theory.” now, you weren’t psychic or anything, but you’d always been really good at reading people. it was like your sixth sense. and right then, reading bill, you knew he’d lost someone close to him.

probably best to not ask about it - if he wants to talk about it he will.

“do you g-go to sc-school in derry?” he said.

“yeah. i’m in nineth grade. what about you?”

“eighth.”

“to tell you the truth, most of my friends are kinda being jerks right now. i don’t really wanna go back,” you said.

bill turned his body to face you.

“i’m f-fighting with mine t-too,” he gave a supportive smile at the end, but you knew the situation with his friends was really eating him up inside. his face gave away his sadness, despite him trying to hide it.

you gathered up all the courage you had, and placed a hand on top of his, which was resting on his knee. bill looked at your overlapped hands, then back up at you. he gave you a shy smile.

“whatever it is, i’m sure you guys can work it out. and if not, then… they’re not worth it anyway. what happened, if i can ask?” you said.

bill seemed to hesitate. maybe whatever happened was his fault - maybe that’s why it was eating him up so much.

“we just… h-had d-different ideas of what to d-do this summer.” he said.

bill was staring at your overlapped hands, seemingly deep in thought. he placed his free hand over top of yours and began rubbing slow circles on your dorsal with his thumb.

“that doesn’t sound terrible,” bill looked up at you as you paused. “i think you guys can get through it.”

he smiled at you. it was a little lopsided, but it was beautiful. you found yourself smiling back without meaning to.

“thanks,” he said. “wh-what about you and y-your f-f-friends?”

suddenly you felt bad troubling him with your stupid friendship problems. you just wanted to talk to bill, learn about him. learn what he liked and disliked, learn what he thought about life. you were in so deep already and you’d just met the kid. probably partly because of that stupidly adorable, shy smile of his.

and the fact that him rubbing circles on your hand was giving you intense “butterflies” in your stomach. who knew those were a real thing?

“it’s nothing, really. they just haven’t really been talking to me.”

wow okay. you sound like a total loser. nice.

“they d-don’t deserve you,” bill said without hesitating. he was looking in your eyes again. “you s-seem like a great f-friend.”

“me?” you laughed. “you brought some random girl a bandaid in the middle of the night because you saw her fall off her skateboard,” bill laughed. of course, that, too, was stupidly adorable. “i’m sure you’re an amazing friend.”

you smiled at him, and he was smiling back. the night was quiet around you, nothing but crickets disturbing your comfortable silence. you looked down and began picking at the grass around your legs with your free hand.

“th-there’s a meteor shower tonight,” bill said. “h-have you ever seen a shooting star?”

you nodded.

“a couple times, yeah. i always wish on them.”

“m-me t-t-too.”

upon glancing up, you noticed that bill had been staring at you. not in a creepy way. more so observant than stalkerish.

you opted for looking at the stars, then intertwined your hand with his. butterflies (yes, mother fucking butterflies) were fluttering like crazy in your gut and throat. you could feel bill’s eyes on you, but couldn’t bring yourself to look at him. instead, you spotted a moving spark of light amongst the clouds.

“make a wish, bill,” you said, gazing at the shooting star as it made its way across the sky.

the star disappeared, and you turned to look at bill, who you knew was already watching you.

“i w-wish for—“

“no shh!” you pressed a finger to your lips, halting bill’s words. “you can’t tell me. otherwise it won’t come true.”

bill glanced at the ground (or at your intertwined hands, you couldn’t really tell).

“then i w-wish you wouldn’t kiss me,” he said.

after a pause, he met your eyes, his face holding a tentative look that just about melted your heart. he was obviously nervous as hell, his one hand was rubbing an anxious thumb over your own, and his eyes held the fear of rejection.

slowly, you moved toward him, inching your bodies closer until your legs were touching and your faces were inches apart. up close, he smelt of rain water and freshly cut grass — a breath of fresh air.

“i wished for this, too,” you mumbled, your eyes tracing the surface of his face.

bill closed the space between your lips before you could. the hand that was holding yours came up to cradle your face instead. it wasn’t fervent or rushed, just a gentle mesh of your lips.

you and bill breathed the same air for a little while afterwards, neither of you saying anything but not moving away from each other. you weren’t even looking at each other — just existing temporarily in your shared space.

this moment belonged to you, bill, and the stars.

“do you w-wanna come over tomorrow?” he said, finally breaking the silence.

“yeah,” you said. “i’d like that.”

“i’d like that too.” his voice is quiet, almost a whisper, but it’s enough to make you smile.

maybe you didn’t need your shitty friends after all.

[aghasexxy]

ONE WOMAN SHOW PT. 2 | Im Jaebum

Pairing: Reader x Im Jaebum

Words: 1688

Genre: Smut

Warnings: Stripping/ Teasing

Summary: you work at the most famous strip club in Los Angeles and you have customers that come in asking for you all the time. Including one mysterious man whose father is the head of the K-Town mob. And who closes down the club once a week to discuss “business”.

The sound of the city spills into the club on a very packed Friday night. The last Friday of 2019. The last Friday of the decade. Our doors have been open for less than an hour and the club is already filled to the brim with men and women unable to walk steadily. I look across the club from backstage, laughing at the chaos out there. But those people don’t matter to me. Only one person does. And he’s nowhere in sight.

“Y/N,” I turn around to see my best friend Wendy. She’s grinning ear to ear as usual. She grabs my face with her delicate hands. “Could you pretend to be excited please? This is the final Friday of the decade!” She squeals like a kid in Disneyland. “I promise I’m excited. I’m just expecting someone,” I look back towards the bar. “Would that someone be JB?” I look back at her with a smirk and roll my eyes. “Y/N! You need to stop fucking

around and just go for it! He obviously wants you!” A whistle breaks through the sound of the dancers laughing and chatting. Our boss calls us for a final pep talk before the night truly begins.

“Ladies!,” he exclaims, demanding the attention of every dancer. “First and foremost, welcome to the end of the decade,” we all erupt in hoots, hollers, and applause. “We’ve really kicked ass this year and I’m so proud of all we accomplished. Both on stage and behind the scenes. To say we ended the year off with a bang is an understatement,” he whips out a stack of cash from his back pocket, snickering at everyone’s slack jaws. I stand arms crossed, completely unimpressed. “We helped sell a lot of product this year, all without any raids. Good work!” We all clap and talk amongst ourselves. He gets our attention again. “Okay for tonight, the lineup for the main show is Claire, Denise, Angie, Loren, Tabitha, Wendy, and of course,” I roll my eyes and smile as all the girls look to me and cheer my name. “Our star Y/N!” The room erupts in applause and I try to shush them. “Okay ladies! Go get dressed! We start in 45 minutes!” Applause erupts as we all rush to the dressing room.

I apply setting spray to my face to finish off my makeup look for the night. Looking in the mirror, I am in awe of the work of art I created. Wendy whistles at me from across the room and I giggle. She walks over to my vanity. “Yo mami you got a man?” I turn around. “Wendy why are you like this?!” She shrugs. “I’m pretty sure that whoever wrote the best friend manual included one of the rules to be “hype up your best friend in the most obnoxious way you know how”,” she kisses my cheek. “So that’s what I’m doing!” I stand up and take off my trench coat to show her my outfit of choice. The lights in the room flash which means that the show is about to begin. The girls scatter like roaches and I call Wendy over. “I’m wearing his favorite lingerie tonight for my set,” I say slyly as she grins from ear to ear. “Ahhhh I love that one! You’re gonna be breaking necks tonight for sure! If not his then everyone else’s!”

An hour goes by and Wendy is just now wrapping up her set. A member of the stage crew comes back to the dressing room. “You’re up in 10 Y/N,” I nod and make some final touch ups. Wendy peels around the corner, her hair in her face as she tries to catch her breath. “You killed it out there!,” I yell, running over to hug her. “How was the crowd? Did you see JB?” I pull back and before she can answer, I get called to the stage. On my way out, Wendy gives my ass a nice love tap. “You’ll find out,” she says as I walk to the side stage.

The announcer goes on stage before me and starts my introduction. The audience cease their hoots and hollers so that he can speak. “Ladies and gentleman, we all can admit that nothing is sexier than when we come home after a long day of work and the first thing we see is our significant other walking around in your favorite lingerie set,” men start whistling and I can’t help but blush. “And tonight, for those single, lonely souls, you’ll get to experience that fantasy for the very first time.” The audience erupts in applause along with the other performers watching behind me. I can’t help but just smile. “Y’all have been waiting for her all night! Here she is, our stunning duchess Y/N!” As the audience loses their minds once again, I let out a breath and stand tall. Here we go.

Wasabi by Little Mix starts to play as I strut on stage. Bills start to fly the moment I come into view and men are on their feet cheering for me. They don’t mean shit to me of course. My eyes scan the room, hoping to lock onto piercing brown ones. I keep smiling as I strut down the catwalk to the pole in the middle. I take off my robe, earning an eruption of applause and whistles. I look out on the floor again when I lock eyes with him. JB. There he was, sitting right in my line of vision. His smirk accompanied with him man spreading in his chair was enough for me to get on my knees right then and there. I twirl around nice and slow, giving him something to look at. He’s probably having a hard time keeping it together right now: his favorite dancer in his favorite lingerie set performing for strangers instead of just him. I press my back against my pole, dropping low in slow motion. My eyes never leave his. Maybe I should punish him for being late, show him who’s boss.The music stops and I receive a standing ovation from the crowd. Everyone was on their feet including him. The MC comes out on stage.

“Wow Y/N! Another show-stopping entrance! You know what time it is! Time to pick a lucky guy in the crowd to give him a lap dance!” The sounds of whoops and hollers at this point are deafening. “Now Y/N, what song would you like to dance to?” I turn to the DJ. “Play Rules by Doja Cat for me, please.” The MC fans his face dramatically as the crowd goes crazy once again. I look back out and see JB. His eyes burn into me like daggers. I know what that look means.

“DJ, if you would,” the MC asks as he scurried offstage. The music starts and my eyes start to wander. I walk onto the floor, locking eyes with every horny middle-aged man I see. I blow kisses, wink, and smile and it’s enough to get tens of hundreds of dollars thrown my way. The floor vibrates from the intense bass in the music and I am locked onto my target. JB looks me up and down as I circle around him. My fingers drag across his broad shoulders and I take a seat on his lap, licking my lips as I lock eyes with him. “You wanna play with me, baby,” he whispers softly to me, my pussy clenching and instantly getting wet. The men around us were cheering JB on and whistling loudly. I stand up and reach out my hand, answering his question with a simple head nod. He snickers and grabs hold, triggering another roar of applause from those watching. We walked back to the stage where a lonely chair sat. The spotlight shines over it as the metal gives off a supernatural glow in the white light. He sits down, not leaving my eyes for one second. “You know the rules sir,” I lean in, his cologne overwhelming my senses. “No touching,” I whisper sensually. I stand up and turn around. I look at him as I bend over, my ass being the only thing he has his eyes on. I come back up slowly and smack my ass. I can’t help myself from smiling at the evil mug on his face. This is torture for him. He wants to wreck me to no end, I know he does. But house rules say otherwise. I strut back over to him, kicking his left foot out. “Spread your legs,” I demand. I climb onto his lap and I feel a pulsating sensation from under me. “You like that?” I ask sweetly, like I’m not torturing him. I slowly start to grind on his clothed dick and he lets out the deepest moan I’ve ever heard in my life. I feel myself getting wet at the sound of it. “Yeah daddy?,” I whisper, grinding him a little faster. I stop and lean all the way back. My hands graze the ground along with my head as our crotches stay glued together. I come back up slowly, my breast threatening to pop out into his face. I come all the way up and the song is over. The crowd cheers and I get a standing ovation. He leans in closer to me and our noses barely graze each other’s. “I’m going to make a mess of you Y/N. You’re mine,” I bite my lip and giggle. “I hope that’s a promise, babe.” I wink at JB and stroke his face before turning around to address the audience. “Thank you for coming out tonight everyone! Happy new year!” The crowd yells it back and erupts in applause. I turn back to JB. “Let’s give a big round of applause for my performance partner tonight!” Whistles and claps follow as he walks off stage. I just know by the look in his eye that the next time I see him, he will have his way with me. And I can’t wait.

[nicklloydnow]

“We’ll be sorry when the Monarchy is gone, which it will pretty soon be if we all go on behaving like this. If you want a Monarchy, you need grown-ups, not just to sit on the throne, but to support it.

(...)

For the republicans are waiting, filled with glee and hunger, for that moment. They know that the present Queen is beyond their reach. They cannot pull her down and they will not try.

But afterwards they will do all they can to destroy the Crown.

More than three centuries ago, this nation had an amazing stroke of luck. It invented constitutional monarchy.

Based on that marvellous and forgotten charter of liberty, the 1689 Bill of Rights, we created a new type of state that was the wonder and envy of Europe.

We had a monarch who was the object of loyalty and pride, but who could not be an autocrat because the law and Parliament together prevented it. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 had sent our last despot, James II, scurrying off to France.

But what nobody then realised was the other side of the bargain. Politicians, who grew in power as the King grew weaker, were also limited. They could not install themselves in grand robes or glittering uniforms, or be inaugurated amid military parades and the roar of artillery salutes.

They could not review or directly command the troops. They did not have the power of pardon.

Nobody was required to be loyal to them personally. In fact, civil servants, police and the military, who serve the law and the Crown rather than the government of the day, were actually required to refuse an unlawful order from them. All the glorious, shiny baubles of state were reserved to a powerless King or Queen.

Well, not quite powerless. Like the King on the chessboard, a Monarch has one great negative power. Nobody else can occupy his space. (...)

But one of the things that is wrong with the US is that it has an overmighty President, who has to buy and keep his office by making promises to billionaire donors and pandering to fashions in thought and opinion.

He mixes power and grandeur, and he demands a respect we aren’t required to give our premiers.

(...)

Is the tacky celebrity culture in the USA, even worse and more idiotic than ours, perhaps something to do with the absence of the sobriety and restraint which Monarchy provides?

Canada’s very different society seems to suggest that the two are connected. We may complain about some members of the Royal Family, but do they even begin to compare with shameful, embarrassing figures such as Richard Nixon or Bill Clinton who – remember – actually possessed solid and enormous political power? And let us not even start on the French presidency.

In general, if republics are so good, why are so many of them, from North Korea and China to Apartheid South Africa (whose racialist rulers could not wait to kick out the Queen in a whites-only referendum in 1960) dismal places of tyranny and torture? Why are most of the longest-surviving free nations in the world constitutional monarchies?

It is so much easier to join in the teenage yelling about our Monarchy’s alleged privileges and luxuries, about its supposed snobbery and bigotry, and its stuffiness and slowness to adapt to the times, than it is to say, as I do, that we should learn to respect and hang on to our good fortune.

Why spit on your luck?”

[aressida]

Australia's Constitution: A Call for Active Participation and Citizen Involvement:

Why was the UK's Westminster Act of 1933, which was retroactively adopted by Australia in 1942, preventing Australia from having the power to rewrite its own Constitution as a sovereign nation? Furthermore, why was there no response from any politician after signing the Lima Agreement in 1975?

It is deeply ironic that numerous Australian groups employ diverse 'common law' claims rooted in significant portions of the original Constitution of Australia enacted in 1901, which establishes Australia's allegiance to England. The enactment of "THE Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act," obtaining the royal assent of England in 1901, marked the transition of the six colonies into states within the emerging federation as a nation.

It's really important to know a few key things about the Australian Constitution. First, common law is a big deal and it affects how our legal system works. Second, understanding the relationship between the government and us as citizens is crucial. Lastly, we need to be aware of the difference between real laws and made-up ones. It's smart to seek accurate information so that we don't waste our time, money, or risk getting fined by using arguments that aren't supported by actual case law.

The 1688 Bill of Rights implies that all rights are a gift of God and cannot be taken away by men or government. In other words, the people tell the government what the extent of their power is.

The right to vote is not a privilege, but a fundamental right.

[thebritishmonarchycouk]

On this day in royal history

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6th February 1685

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👑 king James II & VII accession

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◼ James II & VII (b.14 October 1633 – d.16 September 1701) was King of England & Ireland as James II & King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685 until he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. He was the last Roman Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland & Ireland.

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◼ He ascended the throne upon the death of his brother, Charles II. Members of Britain's political & religious elite increasingly suspected him of being pro-French & pro-Catholic & of having designs on becoming an absolute monarch. When he produced a Catholic heir, the tension exploded, & leading nobles called on his Protestant son-in-law & nephew, William of Orange, to land an invasion army from the Netherlands, which he did. James fled England (& thus was held to have abdicated) in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

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◼ He was replaced by his Protestant elder daughter, Mary II, & her husband, William III. James made one serious attempt to recover his crowns from William & Mary, when he landed in Ireland in 1689 but, after the defeat of the Jacobite forces by the Williamite forces at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690, James returned to France. He lived out the rest of his life as a pretender at a court sponsored by his cousin & ally, King Louis XIV.

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◼ James's four-year reign was a struggle for supremacy between the English Parliament & the Crown, resulting in his deposition, the passage of the Bill of Rights, & the Hanoverian succession.

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#OnThisDayInHistory #ThisDayInHistory #TheYear1685 #Accession #D6Feb #KingJamesII #JamesII #JamesIIofEngland #HouseofStuart #History #EnglishMonarchy #royalfamily #royalty #monarchy #portraitpainting #Artwork #Gloriousrevolution #historyfacts #theking #HisMajesty #monarch #England #Scotland #art #RoyalArt #CharlesII #otd #OnThisDay #RoyalHistory

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[scotianostra]

On 21st November 1673 the marriage took place in London of James, Duke of York and Albany, to his second wife, Mary of Modena.

This is a longer post than I would normally post, but it is a very important era in our history, and kicked off the Jacobite Cause.

James was the younger son of Charles I and younger brother of Charles II. He would go on to be James VII of Scotland on the death of his brother on February 6th 1685.

I normally don't give our monarchs their previous titles before being crowned but James Francis Edward's title, Duke of York and Albany is quite important, after the restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660, James became Lord High Admiral and commanded the Royal Navy during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars . After its capture by the English in 1664, the Dutch territory of New Netherland was renamed New York in his honour; and Fort Orange, 150 miles up the Hudson River, was renamed Albany in honour of his main Scottish title. So New York and the state capital of Albany are both named in honour of one of the last Stuart Monarchs.

Back to the main reason for this post, James' second marriage, his first wife Lady Anne Hyde died in 1671, and in 1673 James married the Catholic Mary of Modena: who many in England came to view as an agent of the Pope.

All of this mattered greatly to a virulently anti-Catholic nation because Charles II, although fathering many illegitimate children, had been unable to produce a legitimate heir: meaning that the Catholic James was next in line to the throne. Parliament responded by trying to pass the Exclusion Bill, which would have debarred James from the succession. Each time it came up for debate, Charles II dissolved Parliament, before finally ruling as an absolute monarch from 1681. Public support for Charles II grew (and the dislike of James eased) after the failed Rye House Plot of 1683, a Protestant plan to assassinate both of them on their way back to London from the races at Newmarket.

Charles II died, still without legitimate offspring, on 6 February 1685, to be succeeded by James VII/II. The succession was challenged by Charles II's eldest illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth in what became known as the Monmouth Rebellion. James defeated Monmouth at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685, and Monmouth was subsequently executed, along with many of his supporters. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the Earl of Argyll landed at Campbeltown with 300 Dutch troops on 20 May 1685 in a separate attempted uprising against James. This also swiftly failed.

James quickly confirmed the worst fears of many of the Protestants in his Kingdoms, reversing strong anti-Catholic discrimination and placing Catholics in senior positions in government, the army and the academic world. On 4 April 1687 James codified his views in the Declaration of Indulgence or the Declaration for the Liberty of Conscience. The apparent aim was to establish freedom of religion in James' kingdoms, though it may equally have been calculated to appeal to Protestant dissenters: whatever its true aims, it was perceived by mainstream Protestants as an assault on their dominance.

Matters came to a head in 1688. In April, the Archbishop of Canterbury and six other Bishops petitioned James, requesting he review his religious policies. He responded by arresting them and putting them on trial for seditious libel. James' credibility took a severe knock when the Bishops were subsequently acquitted. And then on 10 June, Mary of Modena gave birth to a son, James Francis Edward Stuart, and Protestants found themselves looking at the prospect of a Catholic dynasty.

On 30 June 1688 a group of Protestant nobles asked William, Prince of Orange, by now married to James' elder daughter Mary, to come to England with an army to overthrow James. James was confident he would prevail, and turned down offers of military assistance from Louis XIV of France. But when William of Orange landed in Brixham in south west England on 5 November 1688 at the start of the "Glorious Revolution", much of James' army switched allegiance to him; and even James' younger daughter Anne came out in support of William and Mary. On 11 December 1688, James VII/II tried to escape to France. He was caught in Kent, but William allowed him to leave on 23 December 1688. James was welcomed by Louis XIV, who offered him a palace and a large pension.

William called a Convention Parliament in England, which on 22 January 1689 declared that by attempting to flee his country, James had abdicated the throne, leaving it vacant. And instead of the crown passing to James' young Catholic son, James Francis Edward Stuart, they decided it should go to his Protestant daughter, Mary II, who would rule jointly with her husband, who would become William III of England. In March 1689, a Scottish Convention met in Edinburgh to decide the future of the Scottish Crown. Opinions were fairly evenly divided and for a while it was possible that James VII might be declared the rightful King of Scots. However, the well established Stuart trait of doing exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time came to the fore again, and when an arrogant and threatening letter he had written to the Scottish Convention was considered alongside a courteous and reasoned letter from William, it fatally undermined James' support. On 4 April 1689 William II of Scotland and Mary II were declared joint monarchs of Scotland.

This marked the birth of the Jacobite cause among those who claimed that James and his descendants were (indeed, still are) the rightful Kings of England, Scotland and Ireland. The movement took its name from the Latin form of James, Jacobus.

Over the following century efforts by the Jacobites to regain power would lead to frequent unrest, especially in Scotland, and eventually to the suppression of the entire Highland way of life. The first Jacobite uprising in Scotland, under the leadership of Viscount Dundee, began almost immediately, on 27 July 1689.

[8838177055]

Long Parliament

The Long Parliament was a critical episode in English history that began in 1640 and played a pivotal role in the lead-up to the English Civil War. While summarizing such a complex and transformative period in only 1000 words is challenging, I'll provide an overview of the Long Parliament, its significance, key events, and its aftermath.

The Long Parliament: In November 1640, King Charles I of England summoned a new Parliament to address a financial crisis and growing discontent in his kingdom. This Parliament, which lasted for over a decade, is known as the "Long Parliament" due to its extended duration, as it wasn't dissolved until 1660.

Significance: The Long Parliament had profound and lasting implications for English history. It marked a period of intense political and constitutional conflict between the monarchy and Parliament and ultimately led to the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642.

Key Events:

The Petition of Right (1628): Prior to the Long Parliament, tensions had been building between Charles I and his subjects over issues like taxation and religious policies. In 1628, Parliament forced Charles to sign the Petition of Right, limiting his powers.

Disputes Over Religion: Religious differences played a significant role in the tensions. The Church of England faced challenges from various religious groups, such as Puritans and Presbyterians, who sought more reform and control over the church.

Financial Struggles: Charles I's extravagant spending and disputes with Parliament over taxation and revenue collection exacerbated the financial crisis.

The Root-and-Branch Petition (1640): A Puritan petition presented to Parliament, calling for sweeping reforms in the Church of England, increased religious tensions.

The Triennial Act (1641): This act required Parliament to be summoned at least once every three years, limiting the king's ability to rule without Parliament's consent.

The Grand Remonstrance (1641): A document outlining Parliament's grievances and demanding various reforms, it deepened the political divide and prompted accusations of treason against its authors.

The Attempted Arrest of the Five Members (1642): Charles I attempted to arrest five leading Parliamentarians, triggering a major crisis. Parliamentarians saw this as an assault on their rights and privileges, further inflaming tensions.

The Outbreak of the English Civil War (1642): With tensions reaching a breaking point, the English Civil War began. Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads) fought for control of England.

The Execution of Charles I (1649): The Civil War culminated in the defeat of the royalists, and King Charles I was tried, convicted, and executed for high treason in January 1649. England became a Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell's leadership.

Aftermath: The Long Parliament's dissolution in 1660 marked the end of the English Republic, and the monarchy was restored with Charles II. However, it did not result in an absolute monarchy, as the Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and the Bill of Rights.

[skippyv20]

Line of succession to the British throne

Who is in succession to the throne of England?

Queen Elizabeth II is the sovereign. Heir apparent (first in line) is Charles, Prince of Wales, followed by his eldest son, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and then Prince William’s son, Prince George of Cambridge.

The basis for the succession was determined in the constitutional developments of the seventeenth century, which culminated in the Bill of Rights (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701). When James II fled the country in 1688, Parliament held that he had ‘abdicated the government’ and that the throne was vacant. The throne was then offered, not to James’s young son, but to his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange, as joint rulers. 

It therefore came to be established not only that the Sovereign rules through Parliament, but that the succession to the throne can be regulated by Parliament, and that a Sovereign can be deprived of his/her title through misgovernment. The Act of Settlement confirmed that it was for Parliament to determine the title to the throne. The Act laid down that only Protestant descendants of Princess Sophia - the Electress of Hanover and granddaughter of James I - are eligible to succeed. Subsequent Acts have confirmed this. 

Parliament, under the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement, also laid down various conditions which the Sovereign must meet. A Roman Catholic is specifically excluded from succession to the throne. The Sovereign must, in addition, be in communion with the Church of England and must swear to preserve the established Church of England and the established Church of Scotland. The Sovereign must also promise to uphold the Protestant succession.

The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) amended the provisions of the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement to end the system of male primogeniture, under which a younger son can displace an elder daughter in the line of succession. The Act applies to those born after 28 October 2011. The Act also ended the provisions by which those who marry Roman Catholics are disqualified from the line of succession. The changes came into force in all sixteen Realms in March 2015. 

Prince Charles’s Investiture

investiture: a ceremony in which someone is given an official rank, authority, power.

Prince Charles’s 1969 investiture ceremony took place in Caernarfon Castle, which had been commissioned by King Edward I of England in 1283 after his conquest of Wales and was the birthplace of the first English Prince of Wales, the future King Edward II, in 1284. According to legend, Edward I had promised the Welsh a prince who could speak no English and presented them with his infant son – and so began a tradition for English kings to bestow their heir with the title ‘Prince of Wales’.

The centuries-old custom involved the Secretary of State of Wales reading the Letters Patent in Welsh, while the Queen bestowed upon Charles five pieces of insignia: a sword, coronet, ring, the gold rod, and the kingly mantle.

Charles then took an oath:

“I, Charles, Prince of Wales, do become your liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship and faith and truth I will bear unto thee to live and die against all manner of folks.”

The investiture ceremony in its current form dates from 1911, when the 17-year-old future King Edward VIII was invested as part of a year of royal ceremonies that included the coronation of the prince’s father, King George V. The future prime minister David Lloyd George, then chancellor of Exchequer and constable of Caernarfon Castle, favoured a ceremony at the castle that would increase his own political capital and address the potential forWelsh nationalism – an issue that would emerge again at the investiture of Prince Charles. There had been a short-lived Welsh nationalist organisation in the 1880s and 1890s, Cymru Fydd (Young Wales), which was modelled after the Irish home rule movement. The early 20th century had also seen increased interest in the history of Wales with the establishment of the National Library of Wales and the National Museum of Wales in 1907.

While the investiture of the future Edward VIII took place in the aftermath of his father’s coronation, and other royal rituals steeped in tradition, the investiture of Prince Charles was organised with modern, television audiences in mind. The televised coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 had been well received throughout the Commonwealth and had increased the expectation that major royal events would now be broadcast for television audiences. The Queen’s Christmas message had been televised for the first time in 1957, starting a tradition that continues to the present day.

Prince Charles’s 1969 investiture ceremony was organised by the Earl of Snowdon, a society photographer and the husband of Princess Margaret (the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II), and it was to be a spectacle that would appeal to a wide global audience watching the ceremony from home.  

The ceremony in 1969 began with Prince Charles, led by the regalia bearers, entering the Chamberlain Tower, to await the arrival of Her Majesty. Once the royal family had arrived, the lesser members took their seat in the gallery, but the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, led by the Earl of Snowdon, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Earl Marshal and the Gentleman Usher carrying the Great Sword of State, made their way to the stage where the investiture was to be conducted. After reaching the podium where the Secretary of State for Wales, carrying the Letters Patent was already standing, the Earl Marshal instructed Garter to conduct the Prince and his cortège from the tower. As they came to the stage Prince Charles knelt before the three thrones on the stage.

During the reading of the Letters Patent in Welsh, the Queen invested Charles with the girdle, sword, coronet, ring, rod and kingly mantle, in that order. Prince Charles then declared, “I, Charles, Prince of Wales, do become your liege man of life and limb and of earthly worship, and faith and truth I bear unto thee, to live and die against all manner of folks.” Charles then customarily kissed the Queen’s cheek and they embraced. Charles then took his place in the throne at his mother’s right, before standing to give two speeches, one in Welsh and one in English. A brief religious service was then conducted and the Queen led the Prince of Wales to Queen Eleanor’s Gate, to receive the homage of his adopted nation. The numerous banners and standards of the Prince of Wales were hung from the balcony.

The Letters Patent stated that Charles Philip Arthur George would receive the title, style, honour and privilege of the Principality of Wales and Earldom of Chester.

Wonderful,  thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️