VII. Historical Interpretation Sustained by Various Groups

James I, who wished to remain head of the church and maintain the bishops, had not gotten along well with the Puritans, who wanted a more democratic church government than the Anglican Church provided. He was vexed with the Puritans, who were unwilling to use the Anglican Prayer Book. Then his son Charles I married a French Catholic, and made life so unbearable for the Puritans and nonconformists that twenty thousand came to America between 1629 and 1640. ^{62Hyma, op. cit., p. 255.} First landing at Boston, in 1630, they founded Massachusetts Bay Colony.PFF2 552.3

Under Charles the English Government became more oppressive, and faced the solid opposition of the English Puritans and Scotch Covenanters. In 1642 the Long Parliament took the reins into its own hands and abolished Episcopacy. In 1643 the Westminster Assembly, a council created by Parliament, met to advise Parliament as to the new form of church government throughout Britain. ^{63Ibid., pp. 255-259.}PFF2 552.4