Petition

Petition of Right, (1) in law, is a petition on the part of the subject for the restitution of rights of which he has been deprived by the Crown. (2) In English history it denotes a petition presented to Charles I. by the Commons in 1628, which became law by force of the king's consent. It aimed at the abolition of certain grievances - e.g. taxing without consent of Parliament, raising money contrary to law, arbitrary imprisonment, imprisonment without cause shown, billeting of troops, and use of martial law in time of peace.