And, lastly, to vindicate these rights, when actually violated and attacked, the subjects of England are entitled, in the first place, to the regular administration and free course of justice in the courts of law; next to the right of petitioning the king and parliament for redress of grievances; and, lastly, to the right of having and using arms for self preservation and defense.

William Blackstone

Sir William Blackstone (originally pronounced Blexstun) (10 July 1723 - 14 February 1780) was an English jurist and professor who produced the historical and analytic treatise on the common law called Commentaries on the Laws of England, first published in four volumes over 1765-1769. It had an extraordinary success, reportedly bringing the author e14,000, and still remains an important source on classical views of the common law and its principles

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