Thomas Randolph

Thomas Randolph (bapt.Tooltip baptised 15 June 1605 – March 1635) was an English poet and dramatist, recognised by his mentor Ben Jonson as being a promising writer of comedy, and amongst his contemporaries had a reputation as a wit.

Thomas was born at Newnham, Northamptonshire, near Daventry, England, eldest son of William Randolph (1572–1660) and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Smith, of Newnham. He was baptized on 18 June 1605. William and Elizabeth had two other sons and a daughter. Around 1613 his mother died, shortly after giving birth to Randolph's sister. His father remarried about 1615 to Dorothy, the widow of Thomas West of Cotton End, and daughter of gentleman Richard Lane, of Courteenhall. Her brother was the barrister Richard Lane. William and Dorothy were married two years after the family moved to a house in Little Houghton where his father was steward to Lord Zouche. They had three daughters and four sons. Thomas's half-brother Henry (1623-1673) emigrated to Colonial Virginia, becoming ancestor of the Randolph family of Virginia. He was the uncle of American colonist William Randolph.