William and Mary.
D. William was the son of William, prince of Orange, and of Mary, daughter of Charles I. B. at the Hague, 1650. M. Mary, daughter of James II. (b. 1662). Dd. at Kensington, Mar. 8, 1702. Mary. Dd. at Kensington, Dec. 28, 1694. R. together 5 years (1689 to 1694). William reigned alone 8¼ years (1694 to 1702).
1689. The Convention turned into a parliament. First Mutiny Act. Civil War in Ireland, where James landed to recover his crown. War declared against France. Toleration Act passed. Battle of Killiecrankie, in Perthshire, in which William’s troops were defeated, but Dundee, the Jacobite general, was slain (July 27). Siege of Londonderry raised by General Kirke (July 30). BILL OF RIGHTS passed.
The Toleration Act exempted Dissenters from the penalties of the existing statutes on religion, and enabled their ministers to conduct public worship on making certain subscriptions and declarations. The Bill of Rights declared—1, That it is illegal to suspend laws without consent of parliament; 2, That the pretended power of dispensing with laws, as it hath been exercised of late, is illegal; 3, That the commission for creating the late court of commissioners for ecclesiastical causes is illegal; 4, That it is illegal to levy money without consent of parliament; 5, That subjects have a right to petition the king; 6, That it is illegal to maintain a standing army in time of peace without consent of parliament; 7, That Protestant subjects may have arms for their defence; 8, That election of members of parliament ought to be free; 9, That freedom of speech and debate in parliament ought not to be questioned in any place out of parliament; 10, That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted; 11, That juries ought to be impartially selected; 12, That grants of fines and forfeitures before conviction are illegal; 13, That for the redress of grievances parliaments ought to be held frequently. It was further enacted, that every English sovereign should, in full parliament, repeat and subscribe the declaration against transubstantiation; and that if a sovereign should marry a papist, the subjects should be absolved from allegiance.
1690. William went to Ireland, and defeated James at the battle of the Boyne (July 1). James returned to France. The English and Dutch fleets were defeated by the French off Beachy Head (June 30).
1691. The nonjuring bishops (those who refused to take the oaths to William) deprived of their sees. General Ginkel captured Athlone, gained the battle of Aghrim (July 12), and besieged Limerick, which capitulated (Oct. 1).
1692. Massacre of the Macdonalds in the valley of Glencoe. The French fleet defeated by the English and Dutch fleets off La Hogue (May 19). Foundation of the National Debt.
1694. Bill passed for holding triennial parliaments. Incorporation of the Bank of England. About this time a Cabinet Ministry was first established.
William III.