His extraordinary indulgence to the too liberal converse with the multitude of his applauders, drew him to such an immoderate way of living, that he was seldom out of Gentlemens company, and as it often happens that in drinking high quarrels arise, so there chanced some words to pass betwixt Mr. Randolf and another Gentleman, which grew to be so high, that the Gentleman drawing his Sword, and striking at Mr. Randolph, cut off his little finger, whereupon, in an extemporary humour, he instantly made these Verses:
Arithmetick nine digits and no more
Admits of, then I have all my store;
But what mischance hath tane from my Lefthand,
It seems did only for a cypher stand,
Hence, when I scan my Verse if I do miss,
I will impute the fault only to this,
A fingers loss, I speak it not in sport,
Will make a Verse a foot too short.
That he was of a free generous disposition, not regarding at all the Riches of the World, may be seen in the first Poem of his Book, speaking of the inestimable content he enjoyed in the Muses, to those of his friends which dehorted him from Poetry.