Richard Clyfton (or Clifton) (died 1616) was an English Separatist minister, at Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, and then in Amsterdam.
Clyfton was born around 1553 near the Nottinghamshire village of Babworth but left to attend the University of Cambridge,[citation needed] a focus of English puritanism.
Clifton was instituted to the vicarage of Marnham, near Newark-on-Trent, on 12 February 1585 and on 11 July 1586 to the rectory of All Saints' Church, Babworth, near Retford.
Bradford describes how the Separatists in the area of England sometimes called "Pilgrim Country" (Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire) formed themselves into two distinct churches.
But in this other church [Scrooby]…besides other worthy men, was Mr. Richard Clyfton, a grave and reverend preacher, who by his pains and diligence had done much good, and under God had been a means of the conversion of many.
Also Mr. William Brewster…" It was the preaching of Clyfton and the inspiration he provided to Brewster and Bradford that launched the "Pilgrim adventure."
Several years later, around 1602, young William Bradford, who was living in Austerfield (some ten miles from Babworth), also, according to Cotton Mather "came to enjoy Mr. Richard Clifton's illuminating ministry."
Having renounced the principles of rigid separation he became one of the most violent adversaries of John Smyth, and published, A Plea for Infants and elder People concerning their Baptisme.
The book attacked is The prophane Schism of the Brownists or Separatists, with the impiety, dissensions, lewd and abominable vices of that impure Sect, discovered, 1612.