Arizona republican., 1914-08-20
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Great Trials.
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History
TRIAL OF
SIR HENRY VANE

The fate of Sir Henry Vane, the
English statesman, has always more
or less interested America, for he had
in his younger days, served as COVER
nor of Massachusetts during the Colon
ial period. AT an early age Vane
acquired strong Puritan views, in spite
of the personal efforts of those, who
made the attempt, at the kings request,
to persuade him otherwise. Vane was
only twenty-five when he emigrated to
Massachusetts, where he hoped to en-
JOY the free exercise of his religion.
The following year he was elected
governor. He was only allowed TO
serve one year, being defeated by Win
throp, chiefly on account of the protec-
ton he had given a Mrs. Hutchinson
in the religious controversy which she
raised
Vane returned to England in Au-
gust, 1897 was elected to parliament
and three years later knighted. He
was always a firm believer in popular
liberty and was Stunned by every man
who courted monarchy.
English people when they forsook the
jealous care of their liberties. He knew
no religion but that of justice He in
terceded for the Unitarians when they
| were prosecuted; he pleaded for the
release of Quakers imprisoned fol
| their opinion; he demanded justice or
| behalf of the Roman Catholics.
But because he steadily resisted the
usurper Cromwell he was arrested ant
was confined in Carisbrook Castle. His
chief opposition to Cromwell was the
| latter's forcible dissolution of the Ions
| Parliament. When Vane pronounced
it as against morality and common
honesty, Cromwell fell a-railing al
him, crying out with a loud voice:
| "Oh, Sir Henry Vanei Sir Henry Vane.
| The Lord deliver me from Sir Henry
| Vane"
| After he had been imprisoned sew
| eral conferences were held between
| it was agreed that he should be ex-
cepted from the indemnity bill, but
| that his life should be spared. On the
meeting of the new parliament OF
! 1861, however, a vote was passed de-
manding his trial on the capital charge
and he was taken back to the Tower
in April from the Sicily Isles. where
he had been imprisoned.
On the second of June he appeared
! before the Kings Bench to answer the
charge of high treason, when he made
| a bold and skillful defense. asserting
the sovereign power of parliament il
| justification of his conduct.
| Though supposed to be a timorous
man, Vane appeared before his judges
with animated fearlessness; he denied
! the imputation of treason with scorn
| defended the right of Englishmen tC
| be governed by successive representa-
tives and took glory to himself for ac-
tions which promoted the good of his
country.
Vane spoke not for his life and es-
| tate, but the honor of the martyrs tc
| liberty Who We're in their graves, fol-
the liberties of England. for the in
! terests of all posterity." He asked
for counsel who" cried the solici-
tor, will dare to speak for you unless
you can call down from the gibbet the
heads of your fellow traitors?"
"Alone, l am not afraid" answered
Vane, ito seal my witness to the glor-
| ious cause with my blood" Certain
ly." wrote the king Sir Henry Vant
is too dangerous a man to let live, i
we can honestly put him out of tn,
way" He could not honestly be pu
out of the way; but still, the solicto
urged, He must be made a sacrifice
The day before his execution hi
! friends were admitted to his prison
One of them prayed that the cup o
death might be averted. why SHOULD
We fear DEATH" answered Vane; "
i find ii rather shrinks from me than
| from it."
i From the scaffOld Vane surveyed
the surrounding multitude with com
posture and sought to speak to then
of English liberty wishing to confirr
the Wavering and convince the ignor
ant of his martyrdom. His voice wa
overpowered by trumpets Not dis
concerted by the rudeness, he fore
! told to those around him that a bette
day would dawn in the clouds if thong
they were coming thicker and thick
er for a season"