The Pilgrim story may well begin from the period of the Reformation or the ascendency of the Protestant Church in England. Previous to 1600 much friction had existed between the Crown and the Papacy in matters ecclesiastical and civil. The process of reform however had been crystalizing during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This came to culmination in the establishment of the English Church (known as the Church of England) as the official or state church of which the King was to be the temporal head with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head or primate.

But still there was friction. It was like a house divided against itself. There were those who could not conscientiously subscribe to the laws and rituals laid down by the established church. They were dissenters or non-conformists and are best described by Bradford as follows: “The one side labored to have the right worship of God and discipline of Christ established in the Church, according to the simplicity of the gospel, without the mixture of men’s inventions, and to have and be ruled by the laws of God’s word, dispensed in those offices and by those officers of Pastors, Teachers and Elders, etc., according to the Scriptures.”

“The other party endeavored to have episcopal dignity (after the popish manner) with their large power and jurisdiction still retained.”

Note: In the subject matter in quotations, the spelling of some words has been changed to the modern form without otherwise affecting the text.

This strained and anomalous situation led to the founding of the Separatist Church in 1602 in the Old Hall in Gainsborough, with John Smyth as pastor.

Smyth was highly esteemed by the non-conformist group. He was a graduate of Cambridge, “an eminent man in his time,” and his pastorate at Gainsborough extended from 1602 until 1606 when he was forced to retire.

The Scrooby fraternity, an off-shoot from Gainsborough, was presided over by Richard Clyfton as first pastor. Prominent among the non-conformists at Scrooby were William Brewster, born in Scrooby in 1560, William Bradford, born in Austerfield, a village three miles distant, in 1588, and John Robinson, born in Lincolnshire about 1576. Robinson received orders from the Church of England, was suspended for non-conformity and later joined the Congregation at Scrooby where he was made pastor.

This triumvirate became the ruling spirits of the Scrooby community, Brewster became the Elder of the Church and later the religious leader of the Plymouth settlement, of which Bradford became Governor. Robinson, to whom both looked for inspiration and guidance, was destined by circumstances to remain in Holland where he had later been forced to take refuge.

These independent thinkers who firmly asserted their right to worship according to their belief, were brought into constant conflict with the constituted authorities of the Church of England. As Bradford says: “This contention was so great, as neither the honour of God, the common persecution, nor the mediation of Mr. Calvin and other worthies of the Lord in those places, could prevail with those thus episcopally minded, but they proceeded by all means to disturb the peace of this poor persecuted church, even so far as to charge (very unjustly and ungodly, yet prelate like) some of their chief opposers, with rebellion and high treason....” And then regarding their treatment he says: “They could not long continue in any peaceable condition but were hunted and persecuted on every side.”