Francis Johnson (Brownist) facts for kids

Francis Johnson (born March 1562 – died January 1618) was an English minister who led a group of Christians called Separatists, or Brownists. These groups wanted to separate from the official Church of England. Johnson became the pastor for an English community living in exile in the Netherlands.

Early Life and Education

Francis Johnson was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in March 1562. His father, John Johnson, was the mayor of Richmond. Francis had a brother named George Johnson. Francis went to Christ's College, Cambridge, a famous university. He earned his first degree in 1581 and a master's degree in 1585. He also became a fellow, which is like a senior member of the college.

Francis was a popular speaker at the university. He followed the ideas of Thomas Cartwright, who believed that churches should be governed by elders, not bishops. On January 6, 1589, Johnson gave a sermon where he said that church government by elders was a divine right, meaning it came directly from God. This idea was very different from the official church's views.

Because of his strong opinions, Johnson and another fellow, Cuthbert Bainbrigg, were questioned by the university's vice-chancellor. They refused to swear an oath about the accusations against them and were put in prison. Johnson wrote down his beliefs, but he still refused the oath. Even when important people like Sir Henry Knevett and Sir William Bowes offered bail, it was rejected.

Eventually, the case went to a higher court. Johnson was given a statement to read in public, taking back his views. He read it, but it wasn't very convincing. On October 30, he was expelled from the university. He tried to appeal this decision and refused to leave, leading to him being put in custody again in December.

First Time in the Netherlands

After leaving Cambridge, Johnson went to Middelburg in the Netherlands. He became a preacher for English merchants there. In 1591, Johnson found out that a Brownist named Arthur Bellot was trying to bring 2,000 copies of a book called A Plaine Refutation into England. This book was written by Henry Barrow and John Greenwood, who were also Separatists.

Johnson was advised by Lord Burghley to burn the books. He did, but he kept one copy out of curiosity. Reading this book changed his mind, and he became a Brownist himself.

Return to London and Imprisonment

In 1592, Johnson lost his job with the merchants because he tried to make their church follow Brownist rules. He then went to London to meet Barrow and Greenwood, who were in prison. Johnson joined their Brownist church and was soon chosen as its pastor.

The church met secretly in different places to avoid being caught. They practiced their faith and held services. However, their meetings were discovered, and Johnson was arrested several times. He was imprisoned in places like the Wood Street Counter and the Clink prison.

After Barrow, Greenwood, and another Separatist named John Penry were executed in 1593 for their beliefs, many members of the church left England and went to the Netherlands. Johnson remained in the Clink prison but continued to guide his church from there. In 1594, while in prison, he married Thomasine, the widow of Edward Boyes. In 1596, he wrote an important Brownist document called A Trve Confession of the Faith.

Journey to North America

In 1597, Johnson convinced the Privy Council (a group of royal advisors) to let him and three other Brownists go to North America. They planned to start a Puritan Separatist colony in the Magdalen Islands near Newfoundland.

Johnson left Gravesend on a ship called the Hopewell on April 8. Another ship, the Chancewell, carried other members of the group. Unfortunately, the Chancewell was shipwrecked, and many of their belongings were lost. The plan to start a colony failed because the land was already occupied, they lost their supplies, and the ship's crew was not cooperative. Johnson and his group returned to England and then traveled to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Second Time in the Netherlands

In Amsterdam, Johnson continued his role as pastor for the English Separatists. Henry Ainsworth joined him as a teacher. In 1598, they worked on a Latin version of their Trve Confession to share their beliefs with universities in Europe and Scotland.

However, disagreements began within the community. Johnson's brother George continued to criticize Thomasine's way of dressing. Even their father came from London to try and make peace, but in the winter of 1598–99, Francis removed both his brother and father from the church.

When James I became king, Johnson and Ainsworth went to London to ask for religious freedom, but they were not successful. They then published their request as An Apologie or Defence of svch trve Christians as are commonly (vnjustly) called Brovvnists.

Around 1604, John Smyth, who had been part of the London Separatist church, came to Amsterdam with his own group. Smyth soon developed different ideas about church leadership and worship, and he and his followers left Johnson's church after 1607. At this time, Johnson's church in Amsterdam had its own meeting house and about three hundred members.

More serious disagreements happened in 1609 between Johnson and Ainsworth. They had different ideas about the role of the elders in the church. Johnson believed the elders held the main authority, while Ainsworth thought all authority belonged to the congregation (the church members), with the elders simply carrying out their decisions.

After many discussions, Johnson suggested that Ainsworth's group should move to Leyden and join another exile church there. But this compromise didn't work out. In December 1610, Ainsworth and his congregation found a new place to worship nearby. Johnson's group then removed Ainsworth's followers from their church. Ainsworth even started a lawsuit to get back the meeting house.

Johnson and his followers later moved to Emden in Germany. It is not known how long they stayed there. Francis Johnson died in Amsterdam and was buried on January 10, 1618.

Works and Writings

Francis Johnson wrote several books and pamphlets, mostly for sale in London. These writings explained his beliefs and defended the Separatist movement. Some of his notable works include:

• Confessio Fidei Anglorum Quorundam in Belgio (1598), which was a confession of faith.
• Answer to Maister H. Jacob his Defence of the Churches and Ministry of England (1600).
• An Apologie or Defence of svch Trve Christians as are . . . called Brovvnists (1604), which was also translated into Dutch.
• Certavne Reasons . . . prouing that it is not lawfull to . . . haue any Spiritual communion with the present Ministerie of the Church of England (1608).
• A Christian Plea, conteyning three Treatises . . . touching the Anabaptists . . . Remonstrants. . .the Reformed Churches (1617).

He also added comments to A Treatise on the Ministry (1595) by Arthur Hildersam.