Career

She was the jester of queen Catherine Parr, queen Mary I of England and possibly of queen Anne Boleyn. She has been called the only depicted female court jester. Jane"s full name, birth year and background are unknown.

Beden the Fool also appears in the notes and it has been suggested that Beden was her surname.

In the accounts of Anne Boleyn, bills for caps to her "female jester" are recorded in 1535-1536. The name of this female jester is not mentioned but may have been Jane.

Jane is believed to have had a learning disability. Jane was a well liked jester at the court of Catherine Parr, where she is mentioned by name as Jane Foole in 1543.

Jane was the jester of Mary I before she became queen and continued as her court jester until Mary"s death.

She had an apparently favoured position with Mary and was given a valuable wardrobe, and an unusually large number of shoes. Her head was shaved just like the heads of male jesters. As well as Jane, Mary also employed Lucretia the Tumbler and Will Sommers as jesters.

lieutenant has been suggested that Jane was married to Will Sommers, but this has not been confirmed.

lieutenant is not known what happened to her after Mary"s death in 1558.