An Answer to a Question that Nobody thinks of, viz., But what if the Queen should Die?Defoe, Daniel
History
An Answer to a Question that Nobody thinks of, viz., But what if the Queen should Die?
Defoe, Daniel
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1702-1714
Our LIBERTIES, which come next in order, may be summed up in what we
call legal, and native right; or such as by the natural consequence of
a free nation, and a just government; or such as by mutual assent and
consent of sovereign and subject, are become the legal right of the
latter. These, needless to be enumerated here, are summed up into one;
or are expressly enacted by statute law, and thereby become
fundamental to the constitution. These receive no wound, but one of
these two ways, either by open infraction and contempt of right, or by
dispensing arbitrary power; both of which, by the many assurances from
the throne, by the constant jealousies of parliaments, and the full
liberty they have more of late than ever taken to examine into, and
censure breaches of the laws, we are very well assured shall not be
attempted in her majesty's time: nay, on the contrary, the
superiority, and influence of parliaments over and upon the management
of public matters, nay, even their influence upon the royal majesty of
the sovereign, has been such, and has in such a manner insensibly
increased of late, that the like has never been known or practised in
this nation for some ages before. We see her majesty declines
extending her prerogative, either to the detriment of her subjects, in
cases civil or religious, and wherein it might be so extended; nay,
when even the parliament have desired her to extend it: so that we
have a great satisfaction in the safety of our established liberties,
and that no tyrannical, arbitrary invasions of right shall be made
during her majesty's reign. But what if the queen should die?
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