The Hampton Court Conference

Abstract

At Hampton Court Palace during three January days in the year 1604 a gathering of ecclesiastical and political leaders of England was faced by problems which were disrupting national unity, iilthough the implication of the issues involved was far reachings the men in power were not aware of the deeply rooted significance of what was being discussed, because their primary concern was to quiet ministers and educators whom they considered troublesome.The pivotal person was the new monarch, James I. If the king had been less desirous of displaying his intellectual, literary arid theological skill, the conference would not have been held. If he had been of the disposition to seek understanding of other men's minds rather than to impose his will, a larger measure of conciliation might have been attained. Because his interests were scholarly, one result of enduring value eventuated. Hampton Court Conference was what it was because James was what he was.The king, however, was only one factor in a complex situation. The gathering was the outgrowth of long-evolving historic processes, out of which were emerging sharply differentiated religious parties.'This dissertation begins with an epitome of ideas and events that converged at Hampton Court, showing the unsettlement in the Church of England which James inherited from his enigmatical predecessor, the rival hopes which confronted him upon coming to the throne, and the grievances which impelled men to petition the monarch for ecclesiastical changes. It proceeds with an attempt to present a consistent characterization of a baffling Icing, many of -whose verbal portraits are out of focus, distorting the impression made by a personality that was unattractive at its best. The thesis utilizes mingled elements in James' background and character to explain his summoning and conducting the assembly at Hampton Court. A brief description of the palace where the gathering was held is designed to aid in visualizing the conference setting in the light of historic events which occurred there.Following an evaluation of primary source documents, written by men who were present at Hampton Court, a chapter on personnel is included, with the purpose of lifting participants out of the category of mere names into the actuality of vital persons, including the heir to the throne, the Primate of the Church and his associated bishops, deans and doctors, the lords of the Council, a visiting Scotsman, and four Puritans. The specific contribution of each individual is indicated as well as his general point of view on ecclesiastical questions.An exposition of the issues raised at Hampton Court, with a point-by-point explanation of the discussion that occurred, is followed by a critical analjrsis of the conference procedure, an interpretation of the varied attitudes of participating groups, a listing of the underling issues in comparison with those actually considered, a contrast with other ecclesiastical gatherings of the century, a critique of the behavior of the king during tbs assembly, and an incuiry into why so important a gathering was so brief.The final chapter shows the paradoxical quality of the conference, its immediate effects, its outreach in English, Irish and .American history, and the world influence that resulted from an unanticipated proposal made at Hampton Court.