New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
ILL.,.
THE ENGLISH ORIGIN OF AMERICAN PUR1-
TANISM

I'm England however, the family monasticisn
OF the Ferrars irritated the Puritans who took
the first opportunity Of to devastate Little
Giddings They broke up the organ for 1rewood
and roasted the sheep belonging to the estate by
way of showing their contempt for idolatry.
And before the Ferrars were done with Virginia
the Puritan way Of doing things had been trans
ferred to New-England. For the antecedent
movement of the Pilgrims DR.. Eggleston goes
back to a little district in England comprising
part OF three shires, York, Lincoln and Noting
ham. In this little district religion appears
from time imrlemorial to have been an earnest
pursuit with the Inhabitants. Religious houses
were frequent there in the Middle Ages. and it
was from corner Of the region that the
Wesleys sprang In modern times. Epworth Is a
place of pilgrimage for many Americans. but 1t
is to Scrooby and Austerfield that the historian
looks. A little church at Austerfed with walls
three feet thar links modern with medieval
times. East o ,hese villages lies Gainsborough.
interesting to Baptists as the birthplace OF John
Smyth. But these historic facts are not to be
read In the landscape nor in the faces Of the
people. Almost the only romantic objects are
the ancient church Of Austerfeld and the pictur-
esque old church at Scrooby. The people have
no tradition OF the Pilgrims. and yet 1t was from
these old churches that the Pilgrims went forth
In bitter dissent.
The life In these villages Is rustic and COM
monplace yet IT might again be stirred by con-
scientious zeal. Outwardly the Pilgrims must
have been just such people these. common
country folk. narrow and stold until they were
moved by the great hope Of religious liberty. DR..
Eggleston s not inclined to refer the stir among
them to some inner impulse of the people them
selves. He finds that about the time when the
renowned Bradford was chrstened in the church
at Austerfeld the inhabitants Of that hamlet
were reckoned as most ignorant and
licentious people" and that the old antiquarian
Leland described Scrooby "mcan townlet."
But Scrooby had. besides It's picturesque church.
a fine manor house with a moat. the property OF
the Archbishop Of York. so that 1t must have
had its glnpses Of greatness: and at the time
Of the Puritan and Separatist movements this
manor was owned by Sir Edwin Sandyss brother
and occupied by William Brewster. who had
once been famous at Court. but had now taken
UP the cause Of religion and liberty. In the old
manor house under Brewster's the "rustics
of Scrooby were moulded for suffering and
deavor." He brought TO them the refnements Of
university and court life chastened by piety;
they gave in return simplicity and zeal that
could not be daunted. When the Separatist
Church Of Scrooby had been organized out Of
these elements. the minister. John Robinson.
came to complete tho work. Robinson might
have been so far as learning was concerned.
among the foremost English Churchmen OF his
time Thus the beginnings OF Tho Plymouth
Colony were not by any means comprised In the
dull facts OF a country village.
Puritanism had It's beginning according to DR..
Eggleston in what Carlyle might call clothes
philosophy. At a time when trunk hose were
made to cost q small fortune. and a sensible
man like Sir Walter Raleigh wore gems on his
shoes to the value OF 66OO pieces Of gold. the
vestments Of the clergy could not be discussed
lightly People had 10 get very much In earnest
about them The result was that those who be-