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Overview
petition of right
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(1628)
A document drawn up by opposition members of the English Parliament, led by Coke. It came at the time of Charles I's wars against France and Spain, and the lengthy quarrel over tunnage and poundage. It stated parliamentary grievances and forbade illegal unparliamentary taxation, the forced billeting of troops, the imposition of martial law, and arbitrary imprisonment. Charles did assent to the Petition but it was a limited parliamentary victory and did nothing to curb Charles's unconstitutional rule during the 11 years of government without Parliament.
