Matthew Griffith (1599? – 1665) was an English clergyman.

Early life and education

Griffith was born in London in or before 1599. He studied at Brasenose College, Oxford, later moving to

Gloucester Hall Gloucester College, Oxford, was a Benedictine institution of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, from the late 13th century until the Dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century. It was never a typical college of the Universit ...

, where he graduated with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

in February 1619. He continued his studies at Christ's College, Cambridge, gaining a

Master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in 1621.

Church career

In 1624, Griffith became the

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

St Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street St. Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street was a church in Castle Baynard ward of the City of London, England, located on the corner of Old Fish Street and Old Change, on land now covered by post-War development. Recorded since the 12th century, the chu ...

in London, possibly through his connection to John Donne. In April 1640, he was also made rector of St Benet Sherehog. With the onset of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

in 1642, Griffith regularly preached against the Parliamentarians who opposed the King, including in his criticism any who offered material or financial support to them. This led to his arrest on 5 November, and he was imprisoned at Newgate and then at Lord Petre's house, which had been seized by anti-

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...

forces. Griffith's property was also seized in early 1643, under an order issued by the House of Commons of England. Later that year, Griffith escaped to Oxford, and was made a Doctor of Divinity by order of the king. He was also appointed as a royal chaplain. He helped to defend

Basing House Basing House was a Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivalled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only parts of the basement or lower ground floor, plus the fo ...

, 1645; his royalist sermon (1660) answered by Milton, 1660; master of the Temple and rector of Bladon, Oxfordshire, c. 1661–5. (also main DNB xxiii 334)

Later life and death

References

;Attribution * 1599 births 1665 deaths Alumni of Gloucester Hall, Oxford Masters of the Temple Cavaliers {{England-reli-bio-stub