knt. of Umberslade, the rector of Solihull, Warwickshire. After living there for some years his health gave way, and resigning his benefices he went to live at Sutton Coldfield, where he died 16 May 1662. He was buried in the church of Sutton Coldfield.
The following are his chief works:
- 'An Apology in Defence of the Geneva Notes on the Bible' (written circa 1612).
- 'A Patterne of Pietie, or the Religious life and death of that grave and gracious Matron, Mrs. Jane Ratcliffe, Widow, and Citizen of Chester,' 1640.
- 'Sunday a Sabbath, or a preparative Discourse for discussion of Sabbatary doubts,' 1641.
- 'The Christian Sabbath maintained, in Answer to a book of Dr. Pocklington stiled "Sunday no Sabbath."'
- 'A Letter against the Erection of an Altar,' 1641.
- 'A Case of Conscience concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper,' 1641.
- 'Defensive Doubts, Hopes and Reasons for Refusall of the Oath imposed by the sixth Canon of the late Synod,' 1641.
- 'A Comparison of the Parliamentary Prostestation with the late Canonical Oath,' 1641.
- 'A Discourse concerning Puritans,' 1641.
- 'A Monitor of Mortality,' 1643 (two funeral sermons).
- 'Fury of War and Folly of Sin,' 1643, a sermon.
- 'The New Quere and Determination upon it, by Mr. Saltmarsh … examined,' 1646.
- 'Apologetical Narrative of the late Petition of the Common Council and Ministers of London,' 1646.
- 'Light for Smoak, or a cleare and distinct Reply to a dark and confused Answer in a book made and entitled "The Smoke in the Temple" by John Saltmarsh,' 1646.
- 'An After-reckoning with Mr. Saltmarsh,' 1646.
- 'Attestation of the Ministers of Cheshire to the Testimony of the Ministers of the Province of London,' 1648.
- 'Elaborate Annotations on the Pentateuch,' 1651.
- 'A Learned Defence for the Legaluty of Tithes,' Oxford, 1653.
- 'General Reasons against the Payment of a fifth part to Sequestered Ministers' Wives and Children … whereto are added special Reasons against the Payment of a fifth part to Dr. E. H[yde] out of the Rectory of Brightwell,' 1654.
- 'Debate concerning the English Liturgy drawn out in two English and two Latin Epistles, written betwixt Edward Hyde and John Ley,' 1656.
- 'Discourses or Disputations, chiefly concerning matters of Religion,' 1658.
- 'Animadversions on two printed Books of Joh. Onely, a Lay Preacher.'
- 'Equitable and Necessary Considerations for the Association of Arms throughout England and Wales.'
- 'Comparison of the Oath of the Sixth Canon of the last Synod of Bishops and the Protestation set forth by the Parliament, in Answer to a letter of Pedoel Harlow, Gent.'
- 'Exceptions Many and Just, being an Answer to two injurious Petitions against Tithes.'
[Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500.-1716, p. 898, s.v. 'Leigh;' Wood's Athenae Oxon. ed. Bliss. iii. 569 ; Colvile's Warwickshire Worthies. p. 516; Neale's Hist. of the Puritans, iv. 390; notes kindly supplied by J. P. Earwaker, esq. F.S.A.; Hetherington's History of the Westminster Assembly; Mitchell’s Westminster Assembly.]
LEYBOURN, THOMAS (1770–1840), mathematician, born 9 April 1770, edited the ‘Mathematical Repository’ from 1799 to 1835. In 1802 he published ‘A Synopsis of Data for the Construction of Triangles,’ and in 1817 ‘A Collection of Solutions of the Mathematical Questions proposed in the “Ladies' Diary” from its commencement to 1816.’ He was appointed in 1802 a teacher of mathematics in the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and retired on a pension from the office of senior professor of mathematics in December 1839, after nearly forty years' service. He died at Sandhurst on 1 March 1840.
[Gent. Mag. 1840, pt. i. p. 442; Registers of Royal Military College.]
LEYBOURN, WILLIAM (1626–1700?), mathematician, born in 1626, was a teacher of mathematics and professional land surveyor in London. He is said to have begun life as a printer; but as early as 1648 he appears as joint author with Vincent Wing [q. v.] of the first book on astronomy written in English; its title was ‘Urania Practica,’ and it was adapted to the comprehension of beginners. Its authors are styled ‘practitioners in the mathematicks.’ It reached a second edition in 1649, and was criticised by Jeremie Shakerley in ‘The Anatomy of Urania Practica,’ 1649; the authors replied in ‘Ensfictum Shakerlæi, or the Annihilation of Mr. Jeremie Shakerley,’ 1649. In 1650 appeared ‘Planometria, or the Whole Art of Surveying of Land,’ by ‘Oliver Wallinby,’ the pseudonym being a mere transposition of the letters of Leybourn's name. This was republished with additions and acknowledged by its author in 1653, under the title ‘The Compleat Surveyor.’ It passed through four editions in his lifetime; a fifth edition appeared in 1722, edited by Samuel Cunn, who says in the preface: ‘The author of this treatise was frequently employed in surveying, measuring, and mapping gentlemen's estates, as evidently appears from the several draughts by him drawn and to be met with
