Mayflower History

Resources

The Mayflower Pilgrims
Robert Browne
Brownist
John Robinson

Pilgrims, or Pilgrim Fathers (UK), is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts. Their leadership came from the religious congregations of Brownist English Dissenters who had fled the oppressive political environment in the East Midlands of England for the religious freedom of Holland in the Netherlands.

"Brownists" were followers of Robert Browne, who- after the reign of Henry VIII and the re-establishment of the Anglican Church-- advocated for a congregational form of church structure... one which allowed each congregation to be independent. "Brownists" were mentioned in Shakespeare's play, Twelfth Night.
        "I would as lief be a Brownist as a politician".

Browne's "A Booke which sheweth the life and manners of all True Christians" was published in 1582, in Middleberg, Holland where he had fled persecution with his Congregation. (Two men in England were hung for distributing it.) The book set out the theory of Congregational independency, and Browne is considered the father of the Congregationalists. His own Congregation dissolved and he later returned to the Church of England-- and was considered a renegade by his former followers.

Another man, John Robinson, was also considered a leader in the Congregationalist movement. He was a teacher at Cambridge University after 1596, and studied to become a minister in the Church of England. Puritanism was a strong influence at Cambridge, and Robinson gradually accepted some of its premises. When pressure was exerted over the faculties at all of England's universities, he left his position at Cambridge. He completely broke from the Church in 1606.

Puritans strongly criticized the Church of England because they believed its beliefs, rituals, and hierarchy were too much like those of the Roman Catholic Church. The reforms they advocated would “purify” the established church... thus, the name “Puritans.” Some Puritans became Separatists. Where the Puritans stayed affiliated with the Church of England hoping to reform from within, the "Separatists" felt that the differences were irreconcilable.

Elizabeth I had fairly tolerant policies towards the Separatists, but after 1603 when James I took the throne, he set upon a policy to expel them from the country or imprison them. Many congregations stayed active secretly.

Robinson became assistant pastor under Richard Clyton at a Congregation at Scrooby, in the Northern English county of Nottinghamshire. This group met at the Scrooby Manor, home of William Brewster. Other leaders of the group included John Bradford and William Bradford. It was William that gave them the name by which they are known to history when he described himself and his followers as:
          “pilgrims and strangers upon the earth.”

In 1607 this group attempted to leave England for Holland but were betrayed and jailed for a month. Their second attempt succeeded and they joined a Congregation in Amsterdam. This Congregation was strife-ridden and so their group moved to Leyden, where John Robinson was elected their Pastor. Others came from England to join their Congregation.

In 1611 a large property was acquired that served as home for the members and as their church. Robinson became a prolific writer of essays, and debater of religious tenets.
As described by one man...

"Robinson taught his fellowship the necessity for an enlightened ministry who could read and study the Bible... and think for themselves. Their aim was a free church where men could speak their minds and seek new truth... to reform themselves from corrupt influences and superstitions. His Congregation became the most liberal and tolerant church in the New World."

In Leyden, Holland, the group had suffered for years... with poverty and the strains of living in a foreign country. The Dutch were also nearing war with Spain. In 1619 the decision was made to emigrate again... this time to America. Arrangements were made with investors at The London Company to establish a new colony in North America.

    Only 35 of Robinson's Congregation went on that first trip... on the Mayflower,
    under the leadership of William Bradford. The majority of the Leyden Congregation
    would emigrate on a later trip. Robinson died in 1625 before this would happen.

    The other 66 passengers of the Mayflower were various people from Southampton
    and London who had little or no religious motivation.