British Empire.

J 46 Vi. THE KING.
fanftion it with his aSfent. But although this bill did not take
effect, its progrefs demonftrated that the crown was hereditary,,
and the inheritance defeafible only by parliament.-
The revolution, in 1688, was not a defeazance of the right
of fucceffion, a.nd a new limitation of the crown, by the king,
and both houfes of parliament: it was the aft of the nation
alone, proceeding upon a new cafe in polities, which had never
before happpened in our hiftory : the abdication of the reigning
monarch, and the confequent vacancy of the throne. The two
houfes of parliament meeting in a convention, and acting on a
conviction that there was no king in exiftence, adopted the refolution,
" that James II. having endeavoured to fubvert the
" constitution of the kingdom, by breaking the original con-
" traft between king and people •, and by the advice of Jefuits
" and other wicked perfons, having violated the fundamental
" laws; and having withdrawn himfelf out of this kingdom ;
" has abdicated the government, and that the throne is thereby
" vacant." They then proceeded to declare, " that William
" and Mary, prince and princefs of Orange, be, and be declared
" king and queen, to hold the crown and royal dignity during
" their lives, and the life of the furvivor of them ; and that
" the fole and full exercife of the regal power be only in, and
" executed by, the faid prince of Orange, in the names of the
" faid prince and princefs, during their joint lives : and after
« their deceafes, the faid crown aud royal dignity to be to the
" heirs of the body of the faid princefs ; and for default of
s t fuch ifl'ue, to the princefs Anne of Denmark and the heirs of
" her body; and for default of fuch blue, to the heirs of the
" body of the faid prince of Orange."
It was further provided by Statute I ft William and Mary
ftat. 2. c. 2. " that every perfon who Should be reconciled to, or
" hold communion with, the See of Rome, Should proSefs the
" popiSh religion, or Should marry a papht, Should be excluded,
" and for ever incapable to inherit, poffefs, or enjoy the crown >
" and that in fuch cafe the people Should be abSolved from
" their allegiance, and the crown Should defcend to Such per-
" Sons, being Proteftants, as would have inherited the fame, in
" cafe the perfon fo reconciled, holding communion, profefSing,.
" or marrying, were naturally dead."
Toward the end oS king William's reign, when all hopes of
any Surviving iSSue from any of thofe to whom the crown had
been limited, died with the duke of Gloucester, the king and
parliament thought it neceifary again to exert their power of
limiting and appointing the SucceSIion, in order to prevent
another vacancy of the throne; which muft have enfued
upon their death, as no farther provision was made at the revolution