At the age of 19, he served his father as adjunct at the Collège of Vercel (in the Doubs) and it was there that his tragedy Esther (published in Lyon in 1585) was performed by the students.
He studied law at Valence, received his doctorat in 1586 and became a lawyer at the Présidial Court of Lyon.
With the king having visited the city the year before, Matthieu was put in charge of organizing the ceremonies of the royal reception.
He was esteemed by the royal court and enjoyed special access to Henry IV.
He fell ill accompanying Louis XIII at the siege of Montauban and died in Toulouse at the age of 58.