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Thomas Randolph.
HOughton in Northamptonſhire gave Birth, Weſtminſter School, and Trinity Colledge, Cambridge, (where he was Fellow) a learned Education to this Poet. He was an adopted Son of Ben. Johnſon; and dyed Young, tho’ his exact Age I know not; he writ theſe following Plays.
Amintas; or, The Impoſſible Dowry, a Paſtoral, 8 vo. 1688. This was acted before the King and Queen at White-Hall.
Ariſtippus; or, The Jovial Philoſopher, a Tragi-Comedy, 8 vo. 1688. to which is added, The Conceited Pedlar. This was preſented in a private Shew.
Hey for Honeſty, Down with Knavery, a Comedy, 4 to. 1651. Tranſlated from Ariſtophanes’s Plautus. This was ſince augmented and publiſhed in 8 vo. by another Hand, (viz.) F. J.
The Jealous Lovers, a Comedy, 8 vo. 1668. This was preſented to their Majeſties at Cambridge, by the Students of Trinity-Colledge, and has been accounted the beſt of his Plays, it was reviſed by the Author in his Life-time, and ſince reviv’d on the Stage, 1682. It is dedicated to Dr. Comber, Dean of Carliſle.
The Muſes Looking-Glaß, a Comedy, 8 vo. 1681. before called, The Entertainment. Sir Aſton Cockain, and one Mr. Rich, formerly of Chriſt-Church Colledge, Oxon, have given great Commendation of this Play.
The two firſt and two laſt of theſe Plays are printed at Oxon with his Poems.
A Gentleman of an Ancient Family, and tho’ deſign’d for the Law, and once a Member of the Middle Temple, was pleaſed to quit the rugged Paths of Buſineſs for Poetry, in which he has performed with various Succeſs. So omitting Mr. Langbain’s Perſonal Reflections, which ſavour ſtrongly of the Univerſity, I ſhall proceed to an Account of the Plays.
The Anatomiſt; or, The Sham Doctor, a Comedy, 4 to. 1697. acted at the Duke’s Theatre in Little-Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields, and dedicated to Thomas Ravenſcroft, Eſq; late High-Sheriff of Flintſhire. This Play met with extraordinary Succeſs having the Advantage of the excellent Muſick of The Loves of Mars and Venus perform’d with it.
