The established church in Massachusetts was based on" Independent" principles, which was not the same as the "separatist" principles(of the Pilgrims) or of those of the Church of England. The colony was until the 169o's ruled by a religious oligarchy who, however, unlike the bishops of the Church, did not constitute a sacerdotal order, but were essentially laymen. After the royal charter was imposed on them, they lost their political function. As far as the "definition" of Protestant, that was well understood: it meant non-papist.