VANE, Henry, English statesman, fourth governor of Massachusetts: b. Hadlow, Kent, 1612; d. Tower Hill, London, 26 May
1662. He studied at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and also for a time at Geneva or Leyden; was a member of the retinue of the English Ambassador to Vienna in 1631, and after his return was so decided in his opposition to the doctrine and ceremony of the Established Church that he sailed for New England to obtain freedom of conscience. With royal license permitting a three-years' residence, he arrived at Boston 6 Oct. 1635. He was at the time a joint commissioner representing Lord Saye and Sele, Lord Brooke and the other patentees of Connecticut. On 1 November he was admitted a member of the church of Boston, on 3 March 1636 received the freedom of the colony (that is, was made citizen). He had already taken some part in its political affairs, having effected a conference for the adjustment of differences at which articles were drawn up for the guidance of magistrates. He was elected governor 25 March 1636. The “fifteen great ships” then in harbor, according to Winthrop (‘History of New England,’ ed. Savage, 1825), “congratulated his election with a volley of great shot.” One of his first acts after induction into office was to make an agreement with the captains of these vessels as to the government of shipping. A difficulty arose through the request of the officers of British vessels that the king's colors might be flown from the fort. All the magistrates, with one exception, were opposed, since the flag contained the cross which Endicott had but recently cut away. Reply was made that there was no king's flag in the colony, but the captains supplied one and it was hoisted on the authority of the governor and his supporter in the council. At the outbreak of the Pequot War Vane joined Roger Williams in influencing many Indian tribes to refrain from hostilities. On 21 October he concluded a satisfactory treaty with Miantonomo, sachem of the Narragansetts. But in his interposition in ecclesiastical matters he was far less successful. The Antinomian controversy was reaching a critical stage and the colony was divided into two hostile camps, one holding to “sanctification” as evidence of “justification” and the “covenant of works,” the other to the “covenant of grace.” The latter were in a minority and far less influential, and Vane, as a champion of free inquiry, took their side. The colonists, unfortunately, did not, as Upham points out, favor such inquiry “whenever it threatened to lead to results different from their own.” As a consequence, at the election in March 1637 Vane and all his supporters were left out of office. Boston chose him to the General Court, and when the election had been declared void by the majority of the house, returned him the very next day. Winthrop was elected governor, and at once, as a means toward defeating heresy, a law was passed by the General Court that no strangers were to be received within the jurisdiction of the colony save those permitted by one of the council or two of the assistant magistrates. Discontent with this law so increased that Winthrop published a ‘Defense.’ To this Vane replied in ‘A Brief Answer to a Certain Declaration,’ a plea for toleration. On 3 Aug. 1637 he sailed for England. On his return, he labored to secure a charter for Rhode Island, and this was obtained chiefly by his influence. His services in this behalf