scribes him as a man ‘of singular modesty, humility, and learning.’ His contemporaries ranked him with Joseph Mede [q. v.] and Bacon, but his reputation did not save him from a poverty which, though exaggerated, furnished Dr. Johnson with an allusion in the ‘Vanity of Human Wishes’:
If dreams yet flatter, once again attend;
Hear Lydiat's life, and Galileo's end.’
According to the ‘Biographia Britannica’ (note to Ussher) Lydiat married Ussher's sister, the date being variously given. The statement is based on Ussher's alleged subscription, ‘Your loving brother-in-law,’ in letters to Lydiat (letters xxi. xxx., &c., Parr's collection), but the subscription is really ‘Your most assured loving friend and brother.’ Henry Briggs, it is true, writing to Ussher, August 1610, says: ‘Salute from me your brother, Mr. Lydyat,’ but the expression is not sufficient, without further confirmation, to establish any relationship.
Lydiat's published works are: 1. ‘Tractatus de variis Annorum formis,’ Lond. 1605, 8vo. 2. ‘Prælectio Astronomica de Natura Cœli et conditionibus Elementorum.’ 3. ‘Disquisitio Physiologica de origine fontium’ (these two printed with the first). 4. ‘Defensio Tractatus de variis Annorum formis contra J. Scaligeri obtrectationes,’ Lond. 1607, 8vo, dedicated to Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell [see under Cope, Anthony]. 5. ‘Examen Canonum Chronologiæ Isagogicorum’ (printed with the ‘Defensio’). 6. ‘Emendatio Temporum ab initio Mundi … contra Scaligerum et alios,’ Lond. 1609, 8vo. 7. ‘Recensio et Explicatio argumentorum—insertis brevibus confutationibus opinionum Scaligeranæ, Baronianæ … atque Johannis Keppleri,’ 1613, 8vo. 8. ‘Solis et Lunæ Periodus seu Annus Magnus,’ Lond. 1620, 8vo. 9. ‘De Anni Solaris Mensura Epistola astronomica ad Hen. Savilium,’ Lond. 1620, 8vo. 10. ‘Numerus Aureus mellioribus Lapillis insignatus, &c.,’ Lond. 1621. 11. ‘Canones Chronologici,’ Oxford, 1675, 8vo. (published from a manuscript in the library of Dr. Jo. Lamphire). 12. ‘Letters to Dr. Jam. Ussher, Primate of Ireland,’ printed at the end of Ussher's ‘Life,’ 1686, published by Dr. Richard Parr. 13. ‘Marmoreum Chronicon Arundelianum cum Annotationibus,’ of which manuscripts are in the Bodleian and Trinity College, Dublin; printed in Humphrey Prideaux's ‘Marmora Oxoniensia,’ 1676.
Soon after Lydiat's death Dr. Worthington and others made vain efforts, at the request of ‘a certain great patron of letters,’ to collect Lydiat's manuscripts with a view to having them printed (Worthington, Life of Joseph Mede, App. 40). According to the Preface to Lydiat's ‘Canones Chronologici,’ Oxford, 1675, his manuscripts were carried off by a rustic to his cottage, where Dr. Lamphire [q. v.] accidentally discovered them some years after Lydiat's death; others were presented to him by Dr. Robert Plot. These passed, apparently, with the rest of Lamphire's property, into the hands of William Coward, M.D. [q. v.], who presented to the Bodleian Library fifteen manuscripts, of which the following are unprinted: 1. ‘Almanac sive de anno magno.’ 2. ‘Harmonia Evangeliorum, Hebraice,’ vol. i. 3. ‘Harmonia Evangeliorum, Hebraice,’ vol. ii. 4. ‘Harmonia Evangeliorum, Anglice.’ 5. Almanac for nineteen years. 6. ‘Apparatus to the “New Calendar” and “Chronicon Mundi emendatum.”’ 7. ‘Trigonometria.’ 8. ‘Mesolabum Geometricum et Circuli dimensio.’ 9. ‘Evangeliorum Harmonia, Græce.’ 10. ‘A Chronical Canon, with a Treatise referring thereunto.’ 11. ‘Annales Ecclesiastici pro annis xi. prioribus a Christo baptizato.’ 12. ‘Summorum magistratuum Romanorum et triumphorum series.’ 13. ‘Lydiat's Letters and Answers.’ 14. ‘Historia observationum Astronomicarum, per Lydiatum.’ The following unprinted manuscripts are in Trinity College, Dublin, Library: 1. ‘Judgment against bowing at the Name of Jesus.’ 2. ‘Christian Scribe, together with a Preface to John, bishop of Oxford’ (Bernard, p. 37).
Wood gives the titles of other unprinted manuscripts, viz.: 1. ‘Annotations upon part of Mr. Edward Breerwood's Treatise of the Sabbath.’ 2. ‘A few Annotations upon some Places or Passages of the 2nd and 3rd chapters of the book entitled “Altare Christianum.”’ 3. ‘Treatise touching the setting up of Altars in Christian Churches and bowing in reverence to them, &c.,’ dedicated to Archbishop Laud in gratitude for his release from prison, in answer to the Bishop of St. Andrews. 4. ‘Answer to Mr. Joseph Mede's “Treatise of the name of Altar,”’ written in February 1637. 5. ‘Answer to the Defence of the Coal from the Altar.’ 6. ‘Annales Ecclesiæ Christi inchoati secundum methodum Baronii,’ written in Latin, but imperfect. 7. ‘Chronicon Regum Judæorum. Methodo magis perspicua,’ written in Hebrew. 8. ‘Divina Sphæra humanorum Eventuum,’ dedicated to the king, 1632. 9. ‘Problema Astronomicum de Solis Eccentricitate.’ 10. ‘Diatribæ et Animadversiones Astronomicæ ternæ.’
