Jordan, Thomas

(?1612-1685)

   Born in London, he was a boy player at the Red Bull Theatre, Clerkenwell. While in His Majesty's Revels Company in 1640, he performed the part of Lepida in the play Messalin. In 1639 he recited one of his poems before Charles I and continued to write poetry when, in 1642, all stage plays were banned. After the Restoration, Jordan wrote dedications, commendatory verses, panegyric broadsides in support of General Monck, and several pamphlets. He resumed his drama and acting, playing the part of Captain Penniless in his own plays Money is an Ass, produced in 1668. He was poet of the Corporation of London from 1671 until he died. Some of his poetry publications: Poeticall Varieties or Variety of Fancies, 1637. Piety and Poetry, 1646. A Royal Arbour of Loyall Poesie, consisting of Poems and Songs, 1664. Wit in a Wildernesse of Promiscuous Poetrie, 1664. Pictures of Passions, Fancies, and Affections, 1665. Some of his poems: "A Defence for Musick," "A Double Acrostic on Mrs. Susanna Blunt," "An Elegy of his Mistress Fidelia," "Pyms Anarchy," "The Careless Gallant."

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. English Poetry: Author Search. Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 1995 (http://www. lib.utexas.edu:8080/search/epoetry/author.html). Poetry for Pleasure: A Choice of Poetry and Verse on a Variety of Themes. Ian Parsons, ed. W.W. Norton, 1977. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes, 1907-21. New York: Putnam, 1907-1921. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The New Penguin Book of English Verse. Paul Keegan, ed. Penguin Books, 2000. The Oxford Book of Seventeenth Century Verse. H.J.C. Grierson and G. Bullough, eds. Oxford University Press, 1934.