Lancelot Addison facts for kids

Lancelot Addison (born in 1632, died in 1703) was an English writer. He was also an important church leader. He held several important jobs in the Church of England.

Who Was Lancelot Addison?

Lancelot Addison was born in a place called Crosby Ravensworth. This was in Westmorland, England. He went to Queen's College, Oxford for his education.

His Time in Tangier and Early Writings

Addison worked as a chaplain in Tangier for seven years. Tangier is a city in North Africa. When he came back, he wrote a book. It was called "West Barbary, or a Short Narrative of the Revolutions of the Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco" (1671). This book shared his experiences and observations from his time there.

Important Church Roles

In 1670, Lancelot Addison became a royal chaplain. This meant he served the King directly. Soon after, he became the Rector of Milston, a church in Wiltshire. He held this job from 1670 to 1681. He also became a Prebendary in Salisbury Cathedral. In 1681, the Milston Rectory building burned down.

Later, in 1683, he became the Dean of Lichfield. This was a very important position in the church. In 1684, he also became the Archdeacon of Coventry.

Other Writings

One of his other important books was "The Present State of the Jews" (1675). This book was a detailed study. It looked at the Jewish people living in the Barbary Coast area in the 1600s. It described their customs and religious practices.

Family and Legacy

Lancelot Addison passed away in 1703. He had three sons and two daughters. His eldest son was Joseph Addison (1672–1719). Joseph became a famous essayist. Another son, Gulston Addison, became the Governor of Madras. His third son was also named Lancelot Addison (1680–1710). His daughters were Dorothy Addison (1674–1750) and Anne Addison (1676-Unknown).

Lancelot Addison was buried in Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire.