What was the purpose of Daniel Defoe’s Legion’s Memorial?

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Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe, engraving by M. Van der Gucht, after a portrait by J. Taverner, first half of the 18th century.

Daniel Defoe’s Legion’s Memorial (1701) was a courageous political document presented to the House of Commons to protest the illegal imprisonment of five gentlemen from Kent. These men had been detained after petitioning the Tory-controlled Parliament for greater defense preparations in anticipation of a European war.

Defoe delivered the memorial while accompanied by 16 gentlemen of quality, using the text to remind the Commons in outspoken terms that "Englishmen are no more to be slaves to Parliaments than to a King." The action was highly effective, resulting in the release of the Kentishmen and earning Defoe significant public acclaim in London.1