POOLE, MATTHEW (1624–1679), English Nonconformist theologian, was born at York, educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and from 1649 till the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) held the rectory of St Michael le Querne, London. Subsequent troubles led to his withdrawal to Holland, and he died at Amsterdam in 1679. The work with which his name is principally associated is the Synopsis criticornm biblicorum (5 vols. fol., 1669–1676), in which he summarizes the views of one hundred and fifty biblical critics. He also wrote English Annotations on the Holy Bible, as far as Isa. lviii.-a work whi ch was completed by several of his Nonconformist brethren, and published in 2 vols. fol. in 1683.