5. William II King of Scots May 11th 1689 ... with Mary II Queen of Scots

The Claim of Right, 11 April 1689

The Scottish crown had been taken away from King James VII and II; No Roman Catholic could be ruler; Rulers could not change laws by themselves; Parliament should meet more often; Parliament would abolish bishops in Scotland; Only Parliament could set taxes.

The Claim of Right was the foundation of the Revolution settlement in Scotland. It opposed James being a Catholic and called for more regular meetings of Parliament to be held. The terms in the Claim of Right set out to limit the powers of the crown, to strengthen those of Parliament, and to restore the presbyterian system in Scotland where members of each church, and not bishops, could elect their own minister.

William III and Mary II of England accepted this Claim of the Scottish Parliament and on May 11th 1689 they were crowned in London as King and Queen of England and of the Scots.



'Therfor the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland Find and Declaire that King James the seventh, being a profest papist, Did assume the royall power, and acted as king without ever taking the Oath required by Law, and hath by the advyce of Evill and wicked Counsellors, Invaded the fundamental Constitution of the Kingdome, and altered it from a Legall Limited monarchy, To ane arbitrary Despotick power, and hath Exercised the same to the subversione of the protestant religion, and the violation of the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome, Inverting all the Ends of Government, Wherby he hath forefaulted the right to the Crowne, and the throne is become vacant.

'And wheras His Royall Highnes Wiliam then Prince of Orange now King of Ingland whom it hath pleased almighty God to make the Glorious instrument of Delyvering these Kingdomes from Popery and arbitrary power, Did, By the advyce of severall Lords and Gentlemen of this nation, at London for the tyme call the Estates of this Kingdome to meet the fourteenth of march Last, In order to fu[rni]sh ane Establishment as that th[ei]r Religion, Lawes and Liberties might not be again in Danger of being subverted; And the saids Estates being now assembled, in a full and free representative of this nation, Takeing to their most serious consideratione, the best meanes for attaining the ends aforesaid Do… Declare That By the law of this Kingdome no papist can be King or Queen of this realme, nor bear any office …. [whatsomever therin; nor can any protestant successor exercise the royall power until he or she swear the Coronation Oath.']



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The full text of the 1689 Claim of Rights and William & Mary's Acceptance is LINKED DIRECTLY HERE



Mary and William at Greenwich .. on the ceiling