Passage of The First Mutiny Act
King William III replaced King James II in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution. A number of Scottish troops refused to obey orders from William III to fight in Holland, believing James II to be the true monarch. Instead, these troops marched home. Since these troops were located in England during peacetime the military laws that made these acts illegal could not be enforced against them. Common law did not make mutiny a crime. Therefore no legal action could be taken to stop them.
Parliament responded by passing the Mutiny Act of 1689. This act made desertion, mutiny, and sedition of officers and soldiers crimes which were triable by court-martial and punishable by death.
Read more about this topic: Mutiny Acts
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