7. The Decision To Translate The Hampton Court Conference
7
THE DECISION
TO TRANSLATE:
THE HAMPTON COURT
CONFERENCE
Even as he traveled to London in preparation for his coronation, James found himself under pressure from the English Puritans. They had long been irritated by what they regarded as the compromises of the Elizabethan Settlement of 1559. Elizabeth had retained both bishops and the distinctive robes of the clergy. These were widely seen as vestiges of the popery Puritans had hoped would be eliminated from England. Under Elizabeth, Puritans had few options at their disposal. Most chose to remain within the Church of England, putting up with what they regarded as its inconsistencies, and waiting for the dawn of a new era, when a truly reformed church could be created. Elizabeth's long reign of more than forty-five years caused them considerable distress. Her death in 1603 seemed to throw open the door to Puritan aspirations.
The Puritans were encouraged in this hope by a number of factors, particularly their belief that James VI's own religious views were similar to their own. Many English Puritans, therefore, looked to James as someone who was favorable to an established Presbyterian Church, along the lines set out by Calvin for Geneva, and believed that he would be sympathetic to their demands for a full reformation of the English church. Might not the vision of the Genevan exiles be fulfilled under James, who had earlier given such public support to the Protestant reformer John Knox? It was decided to strike a blow for the Puritan cause at the earliest possible moment, before James formally assumed power in London.