The English chronicler Matthew Paris in his Chronica Majora described Alexander as red-haired:

Self portrait of Matthew Paris ( c 1200 – 59 ).

* Matthew Paris ( c 1200 – 59 )

Drawn from life by the historian Matthew Paris for his Chronica Majora, it can be seen in his bestiary at Parker Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, with an accompanying text revealing that at the time, Europeans believed that elephants did not have knees and so were unable to get up if they fell over.

When the brethren left Prouille, then, to begin their apostolic work, Dominic sent Matthew of Paris to establish a school near the University of Paris.

Scotland from the Matthew Paris map, c. 1250.

According to Matthew Paris, the 13th century chronicler of St Albans Abbey, Abbot Ulsinus ( Wulsin ) founded three churches in 948, reputedly to tend to the physical and spiritual needs of the growing number of pilgrims to Alban's shrine: St Peter's, St Stephen's and St Michael's.

King John presenting a church, painted c. 1250-59 by Matthew Paris in his Historia Anglorum

An early 13th-century drawing by Matthew Paris showing contemporary warfare, including the use of castle s, crossbow men and Knight | mounted knights

William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke | William the Marshal ( l ), one of John's most senior military leaders, by Matthew Paris

Matthew Paris, one of the first historians of John's reign

Much of John's later, negative reputation was established by two chroniclers writing after the king's death, Roger of Wendover and Matthew Paris.

The use of recorded evidence was combined with an increased scepticism about two of the most colourful chroniclers of John's reign, Roger of Wendover and Matthew Paris.

Numerous leprosaria, or leper hospitals, sprang up in the Middle Ages ; Matthew Paris estimated that in the early 13th century there were 19, 000 across Europe.

Portrait of Oswald ( lower right ), Epitome of Chronicles, Matthew Paris, early 13th century

A 13th century depiction of the coronation of Stephen, by Matthew Paris

* 1257 – Matthew Paris, English historian, personally interviews King Henry III of England for a week straight while compiling his major work of English history, Chronica Majora.

* Matthew Paris, English Benedictine monk and chronicler ( approximate date ; d. 1259 )

His chronicle is continued by Matthew Paris.

In the 1230s King Henry III became attached to the cult of Saint Edward, and he commissioned a new life by Matthew Paris.

Attributed arms of King Edward the Confessor ( who lived before standardized coats of arms came into use ), by Matthew Paris.

* Matthew Paris writes Historia Anglorum, a work on English history.

* Matthew Paris, English chronicler

* 1504 – Matthew Parker, English Archbishop of Canterbury ( d. 1575 )

* 1981 – Matthew Etherington, English footballer

* 1875 – Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim across the English Channel, traveling from Dover, England, to Calais, France, in 22 hours.

* 1979 – Matthew Upson, English footballer

He befriended English poet Matthew Arnold and English philosopher Herbert Spencer as well as being in correspondence and acquaintance with most of the U. S. Presidents, statesmen, and notable writers.

Matthew Gibson has shown that LeFanu used Dom Augustin Calmet's Treatise on Vampires and Revenants, translated into English in 1850 as The Phantom World, the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould's The Book of Were-wolves ( 1863 ), and his account of Elizabeth Bathory, Coleridge's Christabel, and Captain Basil Hall's Schloss Hainfeld ; or a Winter in Lower Styria ( London and Edinburgh, 1836 ).

A Life of Gregory by the Vartabed Matthew was published in the Armenian language at Venice in 1749 and was translated into English by the Rev.

The tale of a witch hunter in the English Civil War, based on the historical Matthew Hopkins ( Vincent Price ), was more sadistic than supernatural.

* 1775 – Matthew Lewis, English novelist ( d. 1818 )

* 1848 – Matthew Webb, English swimmer / diver ( d. 1883 )

* 1664 – Matthew Prior, English poet and diplomat ( d. 1721 )

* 1984 – Matthew Murphy, English singer and musician ( The Wombats )

* 1956 – Matthew Garber, English actor ( d. 1977 )

* 1774 – Captain Matthew Flinders, English explorer ( d. 1814 )

* 1979 – Matthew Spring, English footballer

* 1970 – Matthew Pinsent, English rower

* 1968 – Matthew Le Tissier, English footballer

* 1721 – Matthew Prior, English poet and diplomat ( b. 1664 )

* 1987 – Matthew Connolly, English footballer

* Van Diemen's Land is the setting of the novel English Passengers by Matthew Kneale ( 2000 ), which tells the story of three eccentric Englishmen who in 1857 set sail for the island in search of the Garden of Eden.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, Archbishop Matthew Parker saw the Conquest as having corrupted a purer English Church, which Parker attempted to restore.

* Matthew Lewis, English novelist and playwright

* July 28 – William Matthew Flinders Petrie, English Egyptologist ( b. 1853 )