The flimsiness of Brown’s moral texture prevented him from becoming the leader in the Puritan exodus to New England.  That honour was reserved for William Brewster, son of a country gentleman who had for many years been postmaster at Scrooby.  The office was then one of high responsibility and influence.  After taking his degree at Cambridge, Brewster became private secretary to Sir William Davison, whom he accompanied on his mission to the Netherlands.  When Davison’s public career came to an end in 1587, Brewster returned to Scrooby, and soon afterward succeeded his father as postmaster, in which position he remained until 1607.  During the interval Elizabeth died, and James Stuart came from Scotland to take her place on the throne. [Sidenote:  William Brewster]

The feelings with which the late queen had regarded Puritanism were mild compared with the sentiments entertained by her successor.  For some years he had been getting worsted in his struggle with the Presbyterians of the northern kingdom.  His vindictive memory treasured up the day when a mighty Puritan preacher had in public twitched him by the sleeve and called him “God’s silly vassal.”  “I tell you, sir,” said Andrew Melville on that occasion, “there are two kings and two kingdoms in Scotland.  There is Christ Jesus the King, and his kingdom the Kirk, whose subject James vi. is, and of whose kingdom not a king, nor a lord, nor a head, but a member.  And they whom Christ hath called to watch over his kirk and govern his spiritual kingdom have sufficient power and authority so to do both together and severally.”  In this bold and masterful speech we have the whole political philosophy of Puritanism, as in a nutshell.  Under the guise of theocratic fanaticism, and in words as arrogant as ever fell from priestly lips, there was couched the assertion of the popular will against despotic privilege.  Melville could say such things to the king’s face and walk away unharmed, because there stood behind him a people fully aroused to the conviction that there is an eternal law of God, which kings no less than scullions must obey. [3] Melville knew this full well, and so did James know it in the bitterness of his heart.  He would have no such mischievous work in England.  He despised Elizabeth’s grand national policy which his narrow intellect could not comprehend.  He could see that in fighting Spain and aiding Dutchmen and Huguenots she was strengthening the very spirit that sought to pull monarchy down.  In spite of her faults, which were neither few nor small, the patriotism of that fearless woman was superior to any personal ambition.  It was quite otherwise with James.  He was by no means fearless, and he cared more for James Stuart than for either England or Scotland.  He had an overweening opinion of his skill in kingcraft.  In coming to Westminster it was his policy to use his newly acquired power to break down the Puritan party in both kingdoms and to fasten episcopacy upon Scotland.  In pursuing