Edward Randolph
Randolph, Edward (1632–1703), an English colonial agent in America. He was sent to Massachusetts in 1676 as an agent of King Charles II to order the colony to answer complaints about various irregularities in the way it was conducting its affairs. He constantly clashed with the colonists, especially over their disregard of the Navigation Acts, which required the colonies to trade only with England.
Randolph served as collector of customs for New England, 1678–89. His reports led the king to revoke Massachusetts' charter and establish the Dominion of New England in 1685. Randolph was a councilor of the Dominion until it was dissolved in 1689 after the colonists heard of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. He was surveyor general of customs for North America, 1691–97.