Jane lost his estates, and had to pay a heavy composition. Remaining true to his principles, in 1650 and again in 1654 he was named clerk of the royal council (Clarendon State Papers; Calendar, passim). He also undertook to answer Milton's ‘Eἰκονοκλάστης’ in a work ‘Eἰκών Ἂκλαστος; the Image Unbroken, a Perspective of the Impudence, Falsehoode, Vanitie, and Prophaneness published in a libel entitled “Eἰκονοκλάστης against Eἰκών Βασιλικὴ,”’ published in 1651 (without place) (Athenæ Oxon. iv. 644). It is a somewhat feeble and tedious answer to Milton, and takes his paragraphs in detail. Writing to Secretary Nicholas in June 1652, Hyde said ‘the king has a singular good esteem both of Joseph Jane and of his book.’ Hyde shared this high opinion of the man, but doubted whether the book was worth translating into French, the better to counteract the effect of Milton's, as had been proposed. Jane's son, William, is separately noticed.
[Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub. i. 268; Courtney's Parliamentary Representation of Cornwall, p. 252; Nicholas Papers, Camd. Soc.; Todd's Milton, i. 115; Masson's Life of Milton, iv. 349.]
JANE or JANYN, THOMAS (d. 1500), bishop of Norwich, was born at Milton Abbas, Dorsetshire, and educated at Winchester School, where he became a scholar in 1449. He proceeded as a scholar to New College, Oxford, and became a fellow there in 1454, and subsequently doctor of decrees, and commissary of the chancellor (an official corresponding to the later vice-chancellor) in 1468. Thomas Kemp, bishop of London, nephew to Archbishop Kemp, appears to have become Jane's patron, and gave him much preferment. The first benefice conferred on Jane was Burstead in Essex, 9 April 1471, and in the same year he was appointed prebendary of Reculverland in St. Paul's Cathedral, which he exchanged for that of Rugmere in 1479–80, and that for Brownswood in 1487. In 1480 he became archdeacon of Essex. He had resigned Burstead and his fellowship in 1472, when he was appointed by Ann, duchess of Exeter, Edward IV's sister, to the chapelry of Foulness, and by the prior and convent of the Cluniac monastery of that place to the vicarage of Prittlewell; he resigned the vicarage in 1473, and the chapelry in 1481–2. In 1479 he was presented by the prior and convent of St. Bartholomew's, Smithfield, to the vicarage of St. Sepulchre's, Snow Hill, but resigned it after a few months' tenure. In 1484–5, the living of Saffron Walden having fallen to Bishop Kemp by lapse, Jane received that benefice. In 1494–5 he obtained a seat in the privy council, and in 1497 he was appointed canon of Windsor and dean of the Chapel Royal. Two years later Jane became bishop of Norwich, and was consecrated by Archbishop Morton on 20 Oct. 1499. He died in September 1500. He is stated to have paid the pope the enormous sum of 7,300 golden florins in fees on his appointment. The only public event assigned to his short episcopate was the burning of one Babram for heresy, but the date is not absolutely certain (Foxe, i. 829). He was a benefactor to New College, and contributed to the building of St. Mary's Church, Oxford.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ii. 681, 745; Kirby's Winchester Scholars, p. 66; Newcourt's Repertorium, i. 72, ii. 118, 273, 474, 626; Lansdowne MS. 9784.]
JANE, WILLIAM (1645–1707), divine, son of Joseph Jane [q. v.], was born at Liskeard, Cornwall, where he was baptised on 22 Oct. 1645. He was educated at Westminster School, elected student of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1660, and graduated B.A. in June 1664, M.A. in 1667, and D.D. in November 1674. After his ordination he was appointed lecturer at Carfax Church, Oxford. He attracted the notice of Henry Compton, who became canon of Christ Church in 1669, and when Compton was created bishop of Oxford in 1674 he chose Jane to preach the sermon at his consecration, and appointed him one of his chaplains. In 1678 he was made canon of Christ Church, and was further presented by Compton, then bishop of London, to the rectory of Wennington, Essex. In 1679 the prebendal stall of Chamberlainswood in St. Paul's Cathedral and the archdeaconry of Middlesex were conferred on him. In May 1680 he was made regius professor of divinity at Oxford. This rapid promotion was due to his businesslike character and energy rather than to any marked ability or scholarship. In July 1683 he gave an example of his dangerous dexterity by framing the Oxford declaration in favour of passive obedience, and in the heat of his loyalty committed the university to opinions which were as unreasonable as they proved to be impracticable. He received his reward in the deanery of Gloucester, in which he was installed on 6 June 1685. He resigned the archdeaconry of Middlesex in 1686, but kept his canonries of Christ Church and St. Paul's till his death. In November 1686 Jane was summoned to represent the anglican church in a discussion which was held with some Roman catholic divines in the presence of James II, with a view to the conversion of the Earl of Rochester [see under Hyde, Lawrence, Earl
