Thomas Randolph (1605-1634/5).
[864]Thomas Randolph, the poet, Cambr.[865]:—I have sent to A. à Wood his nativity[866] etc., which I had from his brother John, an attorney (who lives at ...), viz. Thomas Randolph was the eldest son of William Randolph by his wife Elizabeth Smyth; he was borne at Newnham neer Daintre in Northamptonshire, June the fifteenth, 1605.
At the age of nine yeares, he wrot the history of our Saviour's incarnation in English verse, which his brother John haz to shew under his owne handwriting—never printed, kept as a rarity.
From Mr. Needler:—his haire was of a very light flaxen, almost white (like J. Scroope's). It was flaggy, as by his picture before his booke appeares. He was of a pale ill complexion and pock-pitten—from Mr. Thomas Fludd, his scholefellow at Westminster, who sayes he was of about my stature or scarce so tall[867].
His father was steward to Sir George Goring in Sussex. He had been very wild in his youth; and his father (i.e. grandfather to Thomas Randolph) left him but a groat or 3d. in his will, which when he recieved he nailed to the post of the dore—vide + A. W. lres[868]. His father was a surveyor of land, i.e. a land measurer.
Anno Domini <1623> he was elected to Trinity College in Cambridge.
Anno ... he rencountred captain Stafford[869] (an ingeniose gent. and the chiefe of his family, and out of which the great duke of Bucks brancht) on the roade.... He gave him a pension of I thinke Cli. per annum, and he was tutor to his son and heir.
He was very praecocis ingenii, and had he lived but a little longer had been famae suae superstes.
He writt (as before mentioned) the history of our Saviour's incarnation (at 9 yeers old).