His father was Michael, usually called Miles, Burkitt (otherwise Birkhead), of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, a clergyman who began his career as a zealous high-churchman, and ended his days in nonconformity.
He also lost the manor of Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, belonging to the dean and chapter of Canterbury, which he had purchased from the Commonwealth Commissioners, and which cost him, with improvements, £2500, he continued to live at Monks Eleigh, and ultimately prospered; ‘Though,' he said, ‘I have lost many scores of pounds by my nonconformity, yet, blessed be God, I never wanted.'
[2] He left the university to become chaplain at Bildeston Hall, and after this was ordained by Bishop Reynolds at a very early age; for either in 1671, the year of his majority, or at the beginning of 1672, he was settled at Milden, Suffolk, first as curate in charge, afterwards as rector.
While at Milden he was intimate with William Gurnall, rector of the neighbouring parish of Lavenham, the author of ‘The Christian in Compleat Armour,’ and in 1679 preached his funeral sermon.
[2] He preached also in 1691 a violent sermon at Lavenham against some Baptists, who, under one Tredwell from London, were ‘making proselytes by rebaptising them in a nasty horsepond.'
[2] He exhibited also a zeal for foreign missions; by his great care, pains, an charges, he procured a pious minister to go and settle in Carolina.
He was exceedingly charitable, and was diligent in his pastoral duties, preaching three times a week (besides village services) in a plain style with a winning voice, visiting and catechising with assiduity, and, though greatly attached to the prayer-book, constantly using the liberty of extemporary prayer before sermon.