Joseph Jane facts for kids

Joseph Jane (born 1595 – died 1658) was an English politician who supported the King during a time of great change. He was also known for writing books that argued his political views.

Joseph Jane: A Royalist Politician

Early Life and His Role in Liskeard

Joseph Jane was born into an important family in Liskeard, a town in Cornwall, England. His father was the mayor of Liskeard in 1621. Joseph himself became the mayor of Liskeard in 1625. He was also chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for the town in 1626. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's main law-making group. He was elected again in 1640 to a Parliament known as the Long Parliament.

Supporting King Charles I During the Civil War

During the English Civil War, Joseph Jane was a "royalist." This meant he strongly supported King Charles I. In 1643, he followed the King to Oxford and was part of a special Parliament the King set up there. Because he supported the King, he was removed from the main Long Parliament in 1644. That same year, he helped the King in Cornwall. He even hosted King Charles I at his home in August 1644. From 1645 to 1646, he exchanged letters with Sir Edward Hyde, a key advisor to the King, about how the King's supporters were doing in Cornwall.

Life in Exile and His Important Writings

Joseph Jane was at Pendennis Castle when the King's enemies took it over in 1646. After this, he lost his property. By 1649, he had moved to the Netherlands, a country in Europe, where he started writing. He remained loyal to his beliefs. In 1650 and again in 1654, he was named a clerk (a type of secretary) for the King's council, even though the King was in exile.

He passed away in Middelburg, in the Netherlands, in 1658. His son, William Jane, later became a famous professor at Oxford University.

His Writings

Joseph Jane wrote a book to respond to another famous writer, John Milton. Milton had written a book called ‘Eἰκονοκλάστης’ which criticized King Charles I. Joseph Jane's book, called ‘Eἰκών Ἂκλαστος’ (which means 'The Image Unbroken'), was published in 1651. It was a detailed answer to Milton's book, going through his arguments point by point.

In 1652, Edward Hyde, the King's advisor, wrote that "the king has a singular good esteem both of Joseph Jane and of his book." Hyde also thought highly of Jane. However, he wasn't sure if the book should be translated into French to counter Milton's influence, as some had suggested.