Colonial governor; born in
Hadlow, Kent, England, in 1612; was a son of Sir Henry
secretary Of State under King James and Charles I. In early Life he refused to take the oath of supremacy, became a Puritan and a re publican arrived at
Boston in 1835 (Oct. 3), and was almost immediately chosen governor.
His was a stormy administration, for it was agitated by the Hutchinson controversy, (see
Hutchinson, Anne).
Vane was enlightened and tolerant.
He abhorred bigotry in every form, warmly defended the inviolability of the rights of conscience and the exemption of religion from all control by the civil authorities, and had no sympathy with the attacks of the clergy upon
Mrs. Hutchinson Winthrop whom he had superseded as governor of Massachussets, led a strong opposition to him, and the next year he was defeated as a candidate for re-election, but became a member of the General Court.
Late in the summer of 1637 he sailed for
England, was elected to Parliament, became one of the treasurers of the navy, and in 1640 was knighted.
In the Long Parliament he was a member, and a strong opponent of royalty He was the principal mover of the solemn league and covenant, and in 1648 was a leader of the minority in Parliament which favored the rejection of terms of settlement offered by the
King.
In 1649 he was a member of the council of state, and had almost exclusive direction of the navy.
He was then considered one of the foremost men
in the nation, and
Milton wrote a fine sonnet in his praise.
He and
Cromwell were brought in conflict by the forcible dissolution of the Long Parliament by the latter.
Vane was leader of the Rebellion Parliament in 1659.
When Charles II ascended the throne,
Vane, considered one of the worst enemies of his beheaded father, was committed to the Tower in 1662, and was executed June 14. Sir Henry was chiefly instrumental in pro curing the first charter for
Rhode Island.
