[2] Matthew matriculated from Christ Church on 13 March 1589/90[3] and graduated MA (Oxon) on 5 July 1597.

[2] On 15 May 1599, he was admitted a member of Gray's Inn,[3] where he began his close friendship with Francis Bacon.

In 1614, whilst in the entourage of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, he studied for the priesthood at Rome and was ordained by Cardinal Bellarmine on 20 May.

[5] Matthew was exiled again from 1619 to 1622 for refusing to take the oath of allegiance,[3] but was favourably received by James upon his return.

For promoting this cause, the ill-fated "Spanish Match", James sent Matthew to Madrid and knighted him upon his return on 20 October 1623.

[2] As a member of the immediate circle of the new queen consort, Henrietta Maria, Matthew enjoyed the same favour at court under Charles I as he had under his father.

Under a charming and playful guise—he offered to prepare for Henrietta Maria the new Spanish drink of chocolate, and did so, but absent-mindedly testing it, he tasted it all up—[6] he laboured diligently for the Roman Catholic cause there.

At the time of Anne Blount, Countess of Newport's conversion to his faith (which was considered scandalous), he was falsely accused of converting her, but others had actually assisted her.