During the latter part of Elizabeth's reign, the Puritans (S378) in
England had increased so rapidly that Archbishop Whitgift told James
he was amazed to find how "the vipers" had multiplied. The Puritans
felt that the Reformation had not been sufficiently thorough.
They complained that many of the forms and ceremonies of the Church of
Engalnd were by no means in harmony with the Scriptures. Many of them
wished also to change the Episcopal form of Church government, and
instead of having bishops appointed by the King, to adopt the more
democratic method of having presbyters or elders chosen by the
congregation.
While James was on the way from Scotland to London to receive the
crown, the Puritans presented the "Millenary Petition" to him. It was
so called because it purported to have a thousand signers. The
ministers presenting it asked that they might be permitted to preach
without wearing the white gown called a surplice, to baptize without
making the sign of the cross on the child's forehead, and to perform
the marriage ceremony without using the ring. Bishop Hooker and Lord
Bacon had pleaded for a certain degree of toleration for the Puritans.
They even quoted the words of Christ: "He that is not against us is
for us." But the King had no patience with such a plea.