Richard Madox facts for kids

Richard Madox (born 11 November 1546 – died 27 February 1583) was an English explorer. He worked as a chaplain, which is like a priest who travels with a group, on a ship led by Edward Fenton. Their journey in 1582 was planned to go all the way to the Moluccas (also known as the Spice Islands) and China.

Sadly, Richard Madox passed away during this long voyage. However, he left behind a very important diary. This diary has been published and is now kept safe in the British Museum, giving us a peek into his adventures and thoughts.

Richard Madox's Early Life

Richard Madox was born on 11 November 1546 in a place called Shropshire, England. He was one of three brothers.

He first went to Shrewsbury School. Later, when he was 20 years old, he started studying at All Souls College at Oxford University. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), and then became a fellow at All Souls College. This meant he was a special member of the college. He got his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1576. Five years later, in 1581, he became an ordained priest.

The Big Voyage and Its End

In 1582, Richard Madox, along with another person named John Walker, was chosen to be a chaplain on a ship called the Galleon Leicester. This ship was led by Edward Fenton. They set sail on 1 May 1582.

Their goal was to sail around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa and then continue all the way to the Moluccas and China. It was a very ambitious and dangerous journey for that time.

Unfortunately, Richard Madox died during this voyage. He passed away on 27 February 1583, when the ship was near a place called Vitória in Brazil.

Richard Madox's Secret Diary

Richard Madox started writing his diary on 1 January 1582, before the ship even left. This diary is now a valuable historical item kept at the British Museum.

While on the Galleon Leicester, Madox wanted to keep his thoughts and observations private. So, he began writing parts of his diary in a secret code, called a cipher. He also used Latin and Greek languages to make sure his writings remained a secret from others on the ship.

His diary wasn't just about daily events on the ship. He also wrote about and drew pictures of the different plants (flora) and animals (fauna) he saw during the journey. This makes his diary very interesting for understanding what the world was like back then.

The very last thing Richard Madox wrote in his diary was a comment about the weather. This entry was made on 31 December 1583, even though he had died earlier that year. This suggests that perhaps some entries were made by others or that the diary was continued by someone else after his death, or perhaps the date was a later addition.

His diary was finally published in 1976 by the Hakluyt Society. It was edited by Elizabeth Story Donno and was given the title An Elizabethan in 1582: The Diary of Richard Madox, Fellow of All Souls.