James rejected all of their requests except one. He grew so angry with them that flew into a rage. He shouted in reference to the Puritans, "I shall make them conform or I will harry them out of this land, or do worse." It was a failure for the Puritans. They gave up hope for the Anglican Church and became the Separatists. Out of that group came the Baptists in 1611 and the Pilgrims who went to America in 1620.
However, there was that one request presented to James that he actually liked and with which he was in agreement. John Rainolds, one of the Puritans that day at Hampton Court, requested a new translation of the Bible. You know the rest of the story. James commissioned a group of scholars to produce a new English translation of the Bible, known today as the King James Version or the Authorized Version (because it was authorized by the king). James claimed, "I have never yet seen a Bible well translated. But I think the Geneva is the worst." The KJV was released in 1611, seven years later.
And now, a brief historical sketch of James.
James IV of Scotland was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. He took his cousin Elizabeth's place on the throne of England and became James I. He was 37 years old at the time.
It's quite ironic what, of all people, James is the most well known name associated with the Bible. Just read Robert Morgan's words:
"How odd that the most famous Bible in history should bear the name of a hard-drinking, foulmouthed, ego-driven homosexual who rejected all demands for reform within the church...He was rude, rough, loud, conceited, and bisexually immoral. He was also shrewd."
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