The Bill of Rights is an
Act of the
Parliament of England that deals with constitutional matters and lays out certain basic
civil rights. Passed on 16 December 1689, it is a restatement in
statutory form of the Declaration of Right presented by the
Convention Parliament to
William and Mary in February 1689, inviting them to become joint sovereigns of
England. The Bill of Rights lays down limits on the powers of the
monarch and sets out the rights of Parliament, including the requirement for regular parliaments, free elections, and freedom of speech in Parliament. It sets out certain rights of individuals including the prohibition of
cruel and unusual punishment and reestablished the liberty of
Protestants to have arms for their defence within the
rule of law. Furthermore, the Bill of Rights described and condemned several misdeeds of
James II of England.