Matthew Nicholas (1594–1661) was an English Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

Life

He was a younger brother of

Sir Edward Nicholas Sir Edward Nicholas (4 April 15931669) was an English officeholder and politician who served as Secretary of State to Charles I and Charles II. He also sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1629. He served as secretary ...

, born on 26 September 1594. He was elected scholar of

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

in 1607. He matriculated as scholar of New College,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, on 18 February 1614, graduated B.C.L. on 30 June 1620, and D.C.L. on 30 June 1627. He became rector of

West Dean, Wiltshire West Dean is a village and civil parish in southeast Wiltshire, England; the Wiltshire/Hampshire border runs through the eastern part of the village. The village is on the River Dun, about east of Salisbury and the same distance northwest of R ...

, in 1621; of

Broughton, Hampshire Broughton is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, about north of Romsey. The Manor of Broughton is recorded in the Domesday Book and was held at different times by the Earl of Southampton, and the Duk ...

, in 1629; master of St. Nicholas hospital,

Harnham Harnham is a suburb of the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England, centred about south of Salisbury Cathedral and across the River Avon. Harnham is split into the areas of West Harnham and East Harnham. History Early history The area has h ...

, Salisbury, in 1630;

prebendal A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of t ...

rector of

Wherwell Wherwell is a village on the River Test in Hampshire, England. The name may derive from its bubbling springs resulting in the Middle Ages place name “Hwerwyl” noted in AD 955, possibly meaning “kettle springs” or “cauldron springs.” ...

, Hampshire, in 1637; vicar of

Olveston Olveston is a small village and larger parish in South Gloucestershire, England. The parish comprises the villages of Olveston and Tockington, and the hamlets of Old Down, Ingst and Awkley. The civil parish population at the 2011 census was 2, ...

, Gloucestershire, canon of

Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England. The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Salisbury and is the seat of the Bishop of Salisbury. The buildi ...

and

Dean of Bristol The Dean of Bristol is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Bristol, England. The Dean is Mandy Ford, since her installation on 3 October 2020. List of deans Early modern *1542–1551 William Sno ...

in 1639. He was made

canon of Westminster The Dean and Chapter of Westminster are the ecclesiastical governing body of Westminster Abbey, a collegiate church of the Church of England and royal peculiar in Westminster, Greater London. They consist of the dean and several canons meeting in ...

in 1642, but was deprived after the outbreak of the First Civil War; and canon and dean of St. Paul's in 1660. He died on 15 August 1661, and was buried at

Winterbourne Earls Winterbourne Earls is a village in Wiltshire, England. The village is in the Bourne valley on the A338 road, about northeast of Salisbury. The village adjoins Winterbourne Dauntsey. It is part of the civil parish of Winterbourne, formed in ...

, Wiltshire.

Family

He married in February 1627 Elizabeth, daughter of William Fookes. He was survived by two daughters and three sons (George, Edward and John) from the marriage; one of the daughters, Elizabeth, married William Calley, and then as a widow in 1672 married

Thomas Willis Thomas Willis FRS (27 January 1621 – 11 November 1675) was an English doctor who played an important part in the history of anatomy, neurology and psychiatry, and was a founding member of the Royal Society. Life Willis was born on his pare ...

Sources

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas, Matthew 1594 births 1661 deaths 17th-century English Anglican priests Deans of Bristol Deans of St Paul's