Editing Henry Vane the Younger (section)

==Civil War==
{{main article|English Civil War}}

===Early years===
{{main article|First English Civil War}}
In the first six months of 1642, relations between the king and Parliament broke down completely, and factions supporting both sides took up arms. Parliament returned Vane to his post as Treasurer of the Navy, where he used connections to bring significant naval support to the Parliamentary side after Charles attempted to arrest five [[Member of Parliament|MPs]] on charges of high treason in December 1641.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 169–176</ref><ref>Ireland, p. 173</ref> In June 1642, Charles rejected the [[Nineteen Propositions]], the last substantive set of demands made by Parliament prior to the outbreak of the [[First English Civil War]]. After hostilities began that June with the [[Siege of Hull (1642)|siege of Hull]], Vane was given a seat on the [[English Committee of Safety|Committee of Safety]], which oversaw Parliamentary military activities.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 173, 177</ref>

[[Image:Assertion of Liberty of Conscience by the Independents of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, 1644.jpg|thumb|left|19th century depiction of the [[Westminster Assembly of Divines]]]]
After the failure of the Root and Branch Bill, Parliament in 1643 called together the [[Westminster Assembly of Divines]], a body of lay politicians, lords, and clergy whose purpose was to reform church governance.<ref>Moore, pg. 323</ref> Vane sat on this body, which met periodically until 1648, as one of the lay representatives of the [[Independent (religion)|Independent]] faction.<ref>Shaw, pp. 145–365</ref><ref>Hosmer (1888), pg. 172</ref> Not long after its first meeting in July, Vane was sent at the head of a Parliamentary commission seeking military assistance from the Scots.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 193</ref> The Scots, who had been opposed to Charles in the [[Bishop's Wars]] (1639–40) over religious issues,<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 134–140</ref> were willing to assist the English Parliament if the latter were willing to allow the extension of the [[Presbyterian polity|Presbyterian]] system of [[church polity]] to England.<ref>Hosmer (1888), pg. 177</ref> Vane was opposed to both Presbyterianism and Episcopalianism, but found a way to finesse an agreement.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 196</ref> He proposed that the agreement, which covered a combination of religious and political topics, be called the ''[[Solemn League and Covenant]]'', and he introduced slippery language into the agreement concerning "the example of the best Reformed churches". This language permitted the Scots to believe that their ideas would be adopted, while the English could interpret it to mean that English (i.e. Independent) practices could be adopted. The league and covenant were eventually approved by authorities in Scotland, England, and Ireland, and paved the way for Scottish entry into the war.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 197–199</ref>

Following Vane's success in negotiating the Scottish agreement, the death of John Pym at the end of 1643 propelled Vane into the leadership of Parliament, along with Oliver St John, [[Henry Marten (regicide)|Henry Marten]], and Arthur Heselrige.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 202–209</ref> He promoted, and became a chief member of, the [[Committee of Both Kingdoms]], established in February 1644 as a point were English and Scottish authorities could coordinate war activities.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 214</ref> Vane was then sent to [[York]] in June 1644, then [[Siege of York|besieged]] by three Parliament armies, to urge Sir [[Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron|Thomas Fairfax]] and the [[Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester|Earl of Manchester]] to divert some of those forces to face [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine]], who had recently taken [[Liverpool]] and was pillaging properties of Parliamentary supporters in [[Lancashire]].<ref>Ireland, pp. 226–227</ref><ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 216</ref> While there he also proposed to the generals the establishment of a government which would depose Charles I and crown the Prince to make him King. This idea was roundly rejected by the old guard generals who believed Charles could still be accommodated, but found support with the rising star of [[Oliver Cromwell]].<ref>Ireland, pg. 226</ref><ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 217</ref>

On 13 September 1644 Vane acted with St John and Cromwell in the Commons to set up a "Grand Committee for the Accommodation", designed to find a compromise on religious issues dividing the [[Westminster Assembly]]. He sought in its debate to identify loopholes for religious tolerance on behalf of the Independents.<ref>Cliffe, pp. 109–110</ref>  This exposed Vane's opposition to Presbyterianism, and created a rift between the pro-war Independents, led by Vane and Cromwell, and the pro-peace Scots and other supporters of Presbyterianism.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 222–223</ref>  The latter included the [[Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex|Earl of Essex]], whose failures in the west of England reduced popular support for his cause, even as the military success of Cromwell at [[Battle of Marston Moor|Marston Moor]] raised his profile.<ref>Ireland, pp. 236–237</ref><ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 220</ref>

[[Robert Baillie]], on the realisation that the Parliamentary Independents, despite previous claims of support by Vane, were not on the side of the Scots, wrote "Sir Henry Vane and The Solicitor [St John]... without any regard for us, who have saved their nation and brought their two persons to the height of power now they enjoy and use to our prejudice".<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 223</ref>

===Parliamentary victory===
Overtures for peace talks were begun in November 1644 between king and Parliament. Vane was one of many negotiators sent to [[Uxbridge]] in a [[Treaty of Uxbridge|failed attempt]] to negotiate peace.<ref>Ireland, pp. 245–246</ref>  Vane and the Independents were seen by some as a principal reason for the failure of these talks, because the Scots and Charles were prepared to agree on issues of church polity and doctrine and the Independents were not.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 230</ref> The talks, which lasted from late January through most of February 1645, were overshadowed by the execution after impeachment by attainder of Archbishop Laud.<ref>Ireland, pp. 246–248</ref>
Parliament began discussing a reorganisation of its military as early as November 1644, in part to remove some poorly-performing commanders, and to eliminate the regional character of the existing forces.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 229</ref>  In debate that principally divided the Commons from the Lords, Vane and Cromwell supported passage of the [[Self-denying Ordinance]], forbidding military officers from serving in Parliament, and the establishment of the [[New Model Army]], which would be capable of fighting anywhere in the country.<ref>Ireland, pp. 254–256</ref> The provisions of the Self-denying Ordinance also extended to individuals (like Vane) who held civil service posts, but included exceptions for those (like Vane) who had been turned out office by Charles and restored by Parliament.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 232–233</ref>

Following the decisive Parliamentary victory at [[Battle of Naseby|Naseby]] in June 1645, [[First English Civil War|the first phase of the civil war]] was effectively over, but it dragged on for another year,<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 235</ref> before Charles surrendered to Scottish army commanders.<ref>Ireland, pg. 271</ref>

In January 1646, amid ongoing peace negotiations, Charles attempted to separate the Independents from other factions by proposing in letters to Vane an alliance with his faction against the Presbyterians.<ref name="Adamson and Folland, p. 240">Adamson and Folland, pg. 240</ref> Vane was not amused by this, and responded by pointing out that he preferred the rights of "tender consciences" to be granted by Parliament rather than by the duplicitous king (papers exposing the king's negotiating positions as facades had been captured at Naseby, and had largely silenced the Royalist elements in Parliament).<ref name="Adamson and Folland, p. 240"/><ref>Ireland, pg. 266</ref>

Beginning in the summer of 1645, Raby Castle was ravaged by Scots royalists. In September 1645, the Vanes succeeded in getting Parliamentary approval to fortify Raby.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 238</ref> During the war, Vane's father reported that Raby Castle had been "visited four times", suffering damages of £16,000.<ref>Ireland, pp. 243–244</ref>  Vane withheld the return of treasury fees beginning in 1645 for two and half years until the same £16,000 suffered at Raby accumulated.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 233</ref>

===Interwar politics===
[[File:Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Vane supported [[Oliver Cromwell]] during the Civil War, but fell out with him later.]]
By the end of the war the Presbyterian group in the Commons, led by [[Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles|Denzil Holles]], [[William Strode]], and [[Sir Philip Stapleton]], was slightly stronger than the Independents.<ref>Smith, pg. 153</ref> They proceeded to introduce legislation hostile to the views on religious tolerance held by Vane and Independents in the army. Vane apparently came to realise that the Presbyterian actions posed a threat equal to that of the Episcopalians, and that military action, having sidelined the latter, might also work against the former. The Independents attempted to negotiate terms favourable to them with Charles, but these were unsuccessful.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 243</ref>

In 1647 Vane and Oliver Cromwell, the leader of the army's Independents, came to work closely together. The Presbyterian majority sought to disband the army to reduce the threat of those Independents, but issues over pay (which was in arrears), widows' pensions, and other grievances, prompted the Presbyterians to enter into negotiations with the army. Cromwell was eventually able to appease the army, but a Parliamentary purge of Independent officers followed, and the army was ordered to disband. Some Parliamentary leaders also began negotiating with the Scots for the return of their army, this time to oppose the English army.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 252</ref>

The Parliament army mutinied, and under Cromwell's orders (possibly prompted by a warning from Vane) a detachment of troops seized Charles, who had been placed under a comfortable house arrest at Holmby. This forced the Presbyterian leadership to meet the army's demands for pay. They also established a commission to treat with the army, on which they placed Vane, presumably because of his influence with the military.<ref>Ireland, pp. 284–285</ref><ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 253–254</ref>

The negotiations between the army and Parliament were acrimonious. Mobs in Presbyterian-dominated London threatened Vane and other Independents. More than 50 Independent MPs, Vane among them, fled the city on 2 August for the protection of the army. The army then marched on London, with Vane and others at its head, and the Independents were again seated in Parliament.<ref>Hosmer (1888), pp. 269–270</ref> The Parliament then debated the army's ''[[Heads of Proposals]]'' for fixing the term and powers of Parliament and church governance. Key among its terms of interest to Vane was one that effectively stripped the church, either Episcopal or Presbyterian, of any coercive powers.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 261</ref>  The ''Heads of Proposals'' was also sent to Charles, who indicated agreement to some of its terms and opposition to others, and proposed further negotiations.<ref name="Adamson and Folland, p. 263">Adamson and Folland, pg. 263</ref>

The king's proposal split the Independents between those, such as Vane and Cromwell, who were willing to negotiate with the king, and those who were not. Reverend Hugh Peter spoke out in favour of the "non-addresses" (i.e. no longer negotiating with the king). In November 1647, while the debate continued, Charles escaped his confinement at [[Hampton Court]] and made his way to the [[Isle of Wight]]. There he was recaptured and imprisoned in [[Carisbrook Castle]].<ref>Ireland, pg. 287</ref>  Offered proposals by the Scots and the Independents, he chose alliance with the Scots. Sectional violence between royalists, Presbyterians, and Independents, spread throughout the country, although the army maintained a tenuous peace in London.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 265</ref>

===War renewed===
{{main article|Second English Civil War}}
Violence flared throughout the country as the various factions armed and organised. A mutiny in the Royal Navy in May thrust Vane into attempts to prevent it from spreading, and to regain the support of the mutineers, who had declared for Charles. By mid-July, the army had regained control of most of England, and Cromwell defeated the Scottish army in August at the [[Battle of Preston (1648)|Battle of Preston]]. In the tumult, Vane appeared at times to be in opposition to some of the Independent factions, even having a falling out (quickly healed) with Cromwell, and many factions came to distrust him. Despite this he was one of the Parliamentary representatives for [[Treaty of Newport|negotiations with Charles]] at [[Newport, Isle of Wight|Newport]] in September 1648. He was widely blamed for the failure of those negotiations over his insistence on "an unbounded liberty of conscience".<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 274</ref>

{{Quote box
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|quote= VANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old,<br> Than whom a better senator ne’er held <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; The helm of Rome, when gowns, not arms, repelled <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; The fierce Epirot and the African bold,<br> Whether to settle peace, or to unfold<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; The drift of hollow states hard to be spelled; <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; Then to advise how war may best, upheld,  <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; Move by her two main nerves, iron and gold,   <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; In all her equipage; besides, to know; <br> Both spiritual power and civil, what each means,   <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; What severs each, thou hast learned, which few have done. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; The bounds of either sword to thee we owe:  <br> Therefore on thy firm hand Religion leans  <br>&nbsp;&nbsp; In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son.

|source=John Milton<ref>John Milton. (1608–1674).  Complete Poems.  The Harvard Classics. 1909–14</ref>
}}

[[Image:PridesPurge.jpg|thumb|left|Colonel Pride refusing admission to the Presbyterian members of the Long Parliament ([[Pride's Purge]])]]
In the debates of late 1648 concerning the king's fate, Vane argued that the Parliament should constitute a government without the king "to make themselves the happiest nation and people in the world."<ref>Adamson and Folland, p. 276</ref>  His forceful speech on 2 December suggesting that the king would need to be eliminated as a political force was opposed by others, including Nathaniel Fiennes, who claimed that the concessions the king had made to date were sufficient that an agreement might be reached. Others suggested that rather than dividing the house by opposition to the king, it be divided by separating those who had gained in the war from those who had not, and that financial contributions be made from one group to the other.<ref name=AF277>Adamson and Folland, pg. 277</ref> After an impassioned conciliatory speech by [[William Prynne]], Parliament finally voted on 5 December that the king's concessions were sufficient.

On 6 December, the military stepped in to take control of matters. Troops led by [[Thomas Pride]] surrounded the [[Houses of Parliament]], and systematically arrested arriving MPs who had been supportive of negotiation with the king. Vane did not appear that day; either he was aware of what was going to happen, or he may have stayed away because his side had lost the vote.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 281</ref> This action, known as "[[Pride's Purge]]", resulted in the exclusion of more than 140 MPs.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pp. 282–283</ref>

The Parliament that sat became known as the [[Rump Parliament]], and its first main order of business was the trial and execution of King Charles. During this process Vane refused to attend Parliament, although he was present as a spectator when the trial began on 20 January 1649.<ref name=AF284>Adamson and Folland, pg. 284</ref> He later claimed to oppose putting the king on trial because of "tenderness of blood",<ref name=AF284/> and continued to fulfil the duties of his government posts, signing admiralty papers on the day Charles was executed.<ref>Adamson and Folland, pg. 291</ref>