Petition of Right
Definition
The Petition of Right, enacted in 1628, was a significant constitutional document that set out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. It challenged the idea of divine right and absolute monarchy.
Analogy
Think of the Petition of Right as a list of house rules made by roommates for their shared apartment. Just like these rules limit what each roommate can do (like no loud music after 10 PM), the Petition limited what King Charles I could do.
Related terms
Magna Carta: This was an earlier English legal charter from 1215 that also limited royal power and protected certain rights of subjects.
Habeas Corpus Act: Passed in 1679, this act strengthened the principle that a person cannot be held without being charged with a specific crime.
Bill of Rights: An act passed in 1689 following the Glorious Revolution which further restricted royal authority and guaranteed certain civil liberties.
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