Editing Henry Vane the Younger (section)

==Return to England==
On his return to England, he procured, with the assistance of the [[Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland|Earl of Northumberland]] and his father, a position as [[Treasurer of the Navy|Treasurer of the Royal Navy]] in 1639.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 130</ref> In this position he had the personally distasteful yet highly profitable task of collecting the hated [[ship money]] (a tax to support the Navy imposed by Charles I without Parliamentary approval).<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 130–131</ref>  In June 1640 he was awarded a knighthood by King Charles.<ref name=DNB/><ref>Adamson, pp. 138–139</ref> He married Frances Wray, daughter of [[Christopher Wray (MP)|Sir Christopher Wray]], on 1 July 1640, after which his father settled upon him most of the family's holdings.<ref name=DNB/> These included Fairlawn in [[Kent]], and [[Raby Castle]], where Vane would make his home.<ref>Adamson and Folland, p. 140</ref> According to his biographers, the relationship with Frances was anchored by shared spiritual goals and intimacy, and was happy and fulfilling.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 140–141</ref>
[[Image:Wenceslas Hollar - Trial of Strafford (State 2) cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Engraving by [[Wenceslas Hollar]] depicting the trial of the [[Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford|Earl of Strafford]]]]
The connection with the admiralty secured for him election to the [[Short Parliament|Short]] and [[Long Parliament|Long]] Parliaments representing [[Kingston upon Hull (UK Parliament constituency)|Hull]].<ref name=DNB/> Vane had already formed or renewed associations with prominent opponents of Charles' policies, including [[John Pym]] and [[John Hampden]]. In the Short Parliament he was noted to be "capable of managing great affairs", with a "penetrating judgment" and an "easy and graceful manner of speaking."<ref>Hosmer (1888), pg. 100</ref> With others like [[Nathaniel Fiennes (Roundhead)|Nathaniel Fiennes]], he represented a younger generation of Puritans in the leadership of the Long Parliament that effectively managed affairs: as identified by [[Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon|Clarendon]] in his history, these included Hampden, Pym, and [[Oliver St John]] in the [[House of Commons of England|Commons]], and [[Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford|Earl of Bedford]] and [[William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele|Viscount Saye and Sele]] in the [[House of Lords|Lords]].<ref>Clarendon, pg. 1:362</ref>

Vane was instrumental in the 1641 impeachment and execution of the [[Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford|Earl of Strafford]], a member of the [[Privy Council]]. Vane discovered some confidential notes his father had made of a council meeting, and passed them to John Pym. The wording in those notes could be interpreted to mean that Strafford had proposed that Charles use the Irish Army to subjugate England.<ref>Hosmer (1888), pp. 126–127</ref> The evidence against Strafford was weak, and the impeachment failed.<ref>Purkiss, pg. 115</ref> Pym consequently orchestrated the passage of a [[bill of attainder]] against Strafford, who was then executed in May 1641.<ref>Purkiss, pg. 116</ref>  The illicit means by which Pym acquired the notes caused a rift between the Vanes that healed only when the elder Vane eventually came to oppose the king.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 148</ref>

In the ''[[Root and Branch]]'' petition debate in the Commons, from December 1640 and into 1641, Vane supported, as did Nathaniel Fiennes, the call for radical reforms in the Church of England, a position that put Vane in opposition to his father.<ref>Ireland, pg. 159</ref> Amid a sea of complaints about church governance, he and Fiennes in February 1641 were added to a committee that had been established the previous November to draft a report on the state of the kingdom.<ref>Shaw, pp. 18–26,42</ref>  Their efforts led Vane to introduce the [[Root and Branch Bill]] in May 1641.<ref name="Shaw, p. 99">Shaw, pg. 99</ref>  The debate on the bill was acrimonious, and resulted in a clear indication of parliamentary support for church reform. In its wake mobs invaded churches, removing "scandalous images" and other signs of "popery".<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 159</ref>  Vane made an impassioned speech that brought him to the front of his faction, claiming [[episcopacy]] (the governing structure of the Church of England) was a corrupt doctrine "hastening us back again to Rome."<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 157</ref> The bill died without a vote in August, when more critical matters arose to occupy Parliament.<ref name="Shaw, p. 99"/><ref>Ireland, pp. 160,163</ref>  When Charles went to [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] to rally Scottish forces to the royalist cause, the Commons began drafting what became known as the [[Grand Remonstrance]]. Many historians have claimed Vane had a role in drafting some of its language; this matter is disputed, but either way Vane did not participate in the debate.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 164</ref>  Narrowly passed by the Commons in November 1641, the document catalogued many grievances against the king and church, and served to further polarize political affairs.<ref>Ireland, pg. 165</ref> The king refused to enact any of the requested reforms. Upon his return from Scotland, the king also deprived both Vanes, father and son, of their administrative posts, in revenge for their roles in the execution of Strafford.<ref>Ireland, pg. 166</ref>