In January 1646, amid ongoing peace negotiations, Charles attempted to separate the Independents from other factions by proposing in letters to Vane an alliance with his faction against the Presbyterians. Vane was not amused by this, and responded by pointing out that he preferred the rights of "tender consciences" to be granted by Parliament rather than by the duplicitous king (papers exposing the king's negotiating positions as facades had been captured at Naseby, and had largely silenced the Royalist elements in Parliament). The Vane estates were not spared in the maelstrom of war; Vane's father reported that Raby Castle had been "visited four times", suffering damages of £16,000. In September 1645, the Vanes succeeded in getting Parliamentary approval to fortify Raby.