, eldest son of the preceding, and one of the most turbulent enthusiasts which the rebellion produced,
, eldest son of the preceding, and
one of the most turbulent enthusiasts which the rebellion
produced, was born in 1612, and educated at
Westminsterschool, whence he went to Magdalen-hall, Oxford, and
even at this early age seems to have embraced some of
those republican opinions which were destined to plunge
his country in all the miseries of anarchy. He is said to
have then travelled to France and Geneva, and on his return betrayed such an aversion to the discipline and liturgy
of the Church of England, as greatly displeased his father.
Finding how obnoxious his principles made him, he determined to go to New England, then the resort of all who
were disaffected to the Church of England. His father was
against this wild scheme, but, according to Neal (in his History of New England), the king advised him to consent
to it, and to limit his stay to three years. Young Vane’s
purpose was to have begun a settlement on the banks of
the river Connecticut; but the people upon his arrival, in
1635, complimenting him with the government of Massachusetts for the next year, he resolved to stay among them.
He was, however, Neal says, ' no sooner advanced to the
government, than he appeared to be a person of no conduct, and no ways equal to the post he was preferred to:
being a strong enthusiast, he openly espoused the Antinomian doctrines, and gave such encouragement to the
preachers and spreaders of them, as raised their vanity,
and gave them such an interest among the people, as the
very next year had like to have proved fatal both to the
church and commonwealth; but the sober party observing
his conduct, concerted such measures among themselves,
as put an end to his government the next election.“Mather, another New England historian, speaks with still
greater contempt of Vane, and says, that
” Mr. Vane’s
election will remain a blemish to their judgments who did
elect him, while New England remains a nation.“Baxter
tells us, that he became so obnoxious that
” he was fain to
steal away by night, and take shipping for England, before
his year of government was at an end,“Baxter adds, that
” when he came over into England, he proved an instrument of greater calamity to a people more sinful and more
prepared for God’s judgments."