# Matthew Griffith

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{{short description|English clergyman}}
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{{cleanup rewrite|date=April 2014}}
{{Lead too short|date=July 2022}}
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'''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](/source/Brasenose_College%2C_Oxford), later moving to [Gloucester Hall](/source/Gloucester_Hall), where he graduated with a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in February 1619. He continued his studies at [Christ's College, Cambridge](/source/Christ's_College%2C_Cambridge), gaining a [Master's](/source/Master's) in 1621.<ref name=ODNB/>

==Church career==
In 1624, Griffith became the [rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of [St Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street](/source/St_Mary_Magdalen_Old_Fish_Street) in London, possibly through his connection to  [John Donne](/source/John_Donne). In April 1640, he was also made rector of [St Benet Sherehog](/source/St_Benet_Sherehog).<ref name=ODNB/>

With the onset of the [Civil War](/source/English_Civil_War) in 1642, Griffith regularly preached against the [Parliamentarians](/source/Roundheads) 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](/source/Newgate_Prison) and then at [Lord Petre](/source/William_Petre)'s house, which had been seized by anti-[Royalist](/source/Royalist) forces. Griffith's property was also seized in early 1643, under an order issued by the [House of Commons of England](/source/House_of_Commons_of_England).<ref name=ODNB/>

Later that year, Griffith escaped to Oxford, and was made a [Doctor of Divinity](/source/Doctor_of_Divinity) by order of the king. He was also appointed as a royal chaplain.<ref name=ODNB/>

He helped to defend [Basing House](/source/Basing_House), 1645; his royalist sermon (1660) answered by Milton, 1660; [master of the Temple](/source/Temple_Church) and rector of Bladon, Oxfordshire, c. 1661–5.
<ref>{{harvnb|Lee|1903|p=539}} (also main DNB xxiii 334)</ref>

==References==
<references>

<ref name=ODNB>{{cite odnb|id=11601|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11601|title=Griffith, Matthew|last=Liu|first=Tai}}</ref>

</references>
;Attribution
*{{DNBIE|title=Griffith, Matthew|page=539}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Matthew}}
Category:1599 births
Category:1665 deaths
Category:Alumni of Gloucester Hall, Oxford
Category:Masters of the Temple
Category:Cavaliers

{{England-reli-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matthew Griffith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Griffith) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Griffith?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.