Sir Henry Vane the younger

[Steven Maas (CUTR)]

Sam Shapiro wrote:
> what I'm really interested in finding out from SOMEONE 
> out there is the story behind the Tale of Henry Vane the younger, which is 
> related to Dixon by the affable Jesuit Maire on page 226. Why does Dixon 
> ask Maire if Vane was a "regicide"? What king did Vane murder, if that is 
> the case?? And who was Pym? And what exactly was the "dispute" over the 
> "Barony of Raby" about? And who killed Vane (or his father)?? 

A good place to start (always) is TimWare's Web Guide:
http://www.hyperarts.com/

On the hard-copy side, there're several books about Vane.  Here's a
summary pulled out of three books of the parts of the story applicable to
the discussion on pages 225-6 in M&D: 

Sir Henry Vane the Elder (1589-1655) purchased several estates in 1629,
including Raby.  Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1593--1641) 
incurred the wrath of Henry the Elder in 1640 by petitioniing for and
receiving the title of Baron of Raby (he didn't take the property, just
the title).  Henry wanted the title for himself and his heirs.  As
secretary to the King and the Privy Council, Henry the Elder took notes at
a meeting where Strafford suggested using an army of Irish Catholics to
defeat the rebellious Scots.  Henry the Younger (1613-62) found a copy of
the notes (the Elder had sent the original to King Charles I who had
burned them) and showed them to John Pym (1584--1643), leader of
Parliament. They made "a copy of a copy" (M&D 226) of the notes.  The
notes were used as evidence when Strafford was put on trial, accused of
various offenses.  He was convicted and executed.

It appears that, as Dixon says, "Young Vane was never a Regicide" (M&D
226).  Henry the Younger was a Puritan and on the side of Cromwell's
forces during the Civil War but was not present during the trial and
execution of Charles I.  He worked unsuccessfully to prevent the
Restoration, and was arrested in 1660 and executed in 1662.  Pepys
mentions the execution. 

I guess Dixon's connection to Raby Castle, the home of an executed enemy
of the Stuarts, would appeal to the "morbid delight of certain *devotees*
of monarchies past" (M&D 225).

	Steve Maas

TO SR HENRY VANE THE YOUNGER
by John Milton (1645)

Vane, young in yeares, but in sage counsell old,
     Then whome a better Senatour nere held
     The helme of Rome, when gownes not armes repelld
     The feirce Epeirot & the African bold,
Whether to settle peace, or to unfold
     The drift of hollow states, hard to be spelld,
     Then to advise how warr may best, upheld,
     Move by her two maine nerves, Iron & Gold
In all her equipage; besides to know
     Both spirituall powre & civill, what each meanes
     What which each thou hast learnt, which few have don.
The bounds of either sword to thee wee ow.
     Therfore on thy firme hand religion leanes
     In peace, & reck'ns thee her eldest son.
                                    THE END

These brief biographies are on the Web at http://www.biography.com/

Pym, John (1584--1643) 
English politician, born in Brymore, Somerset. He left Oxford without
taking a degree, studied law, and entered parliament (1614). In 1641 he
took a leading part in the impeachment of Strafford, helped to draw up the
Grand Remonstrance, and in 1642 was one of the five members whom Charles I
singled out by name. He stayed in London during the Civil War, and died
soon after being appointed lieutenant of the Ordnance. 

Strafford, Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of (1593--1641) 
English statesman, born in London. He studied at Cambridge, was knighted
in 1611, and in 1614 succeeded to his baronetcy and became MP for
Yorkshire. He acted with the Opposition (1625--8), but after being
appointed president of the North and Baron Wentworth (1628), he supported
Charles I. In 1632 he became lord deputy of Ireland, where he imposed firm
rule. In 1639 he was made the king's principal adviser, and Earl of
Strafford. His suppression of the rebellion in Scotland failed, and he was
impeached by the Long Parliament. Despite a famous defense at Westminster,
he was executed on Tower Hill.

Vane, Sir Henry (1613--62) 
English statesman, born in Hadlow, Kent. He studied at Oxford, travelled
in Europe, became a Puritan, and sailed for New England (1635), where he
was Governor of Massachusetts; but his advocacy of toleration lost him
popularity, and he returned in 1637. He entered parliament, became joint
treasurer of the navy, and was knighted (1640). He helped to impeach
Strafford, promoted the Solemn League and Covenant, and was a strong
supporter of the Parliamentary cause in the Civil War. During the
Commonwealth he was appointed one of the Council of State (1649--53), but
he opposed Cromwell's becoming Lord Protector in 1653, and retired from
politics. On Cromwell's death he returned to public life (1659), opposed
the Restoration, and was imprisoned and executed.