Toby Matthew

Sir Tobie Matthew (also sometimes spelt Mathew) (3 October 1577 – 13 October 1655), born in Salisbury, was an English member of parliament and courtier who converted to Roman Catholicism and became a priest. He was sent to Spain to promote the proposed Spanish Match between Charles, Prince of Wales, and the Spanish Infanta, Maria Anna of Spain, for which mission he was knighted.

Matthew was the son of Dr Tobias Matthew, then Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, later Bishop of Durham, and finally Archbishop of York, by his marriage to Frances, a daughter of William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester. Matthew matriculated from Christ Church on 13 March 1589/90 and graduated MA on 5 July 1597. Because of his youthful extravagance, he is said to have been treated harshly by his parents. On 15 May 1599, he was admitted a member of Gray's Inn, where he began his close friendship with Francis Bacon. Two years later, Matthew was elected as Member of Parliament for Newport, in Cornwall. During this time, he was a frequent visitor to the court of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1604, shortly after the accession of King James I, Matthew was elected again to the House of Commons, this time by St Alban's, and joined the new king's court. He also received a large grant from the Crown which provided for his future.