Puritans, Bishops and the King James Bible

England's Protestant Church, created under the Tudors, was a compromise: Protestant in doctrine but keeping bishops, set prayers and some traditional ceremonies. Puritans were zealous Protestants who wanted further reform, such as simpler worship and stricter observance of the Sabbath; some also questioned rule by bishops. At the Hampton Court Conference in 1604, James met Puritan and conforming clergy and refused major changes, famously linking bishops to monarchy with the phrase 'No bishop, no king'.

He did, however, approve a new English translation of the Bible, published in 1611, which became one of the most influential books in the English language. Most Puritans stayed inside the national church, but a small minority separated from it, and some later emigrated, including the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. Religion and politics were tightly linked, because church government seemed to mirror royal government.