LYDIAT. 7 the learned languages, and divinity. His desire to enter upon the ministerial function was opposed by a defective memory and an imperfection of utterance ; and, as the statutes of the college required him, after a certain time, to enter upon those studies more immediately connected with the clerical profession, or resign his fellowship, he chose the latter, and, retired to a small patrimonial property at his native place. He there, during seven years, employed himself in completing literary designs which he had formed while resident at the university ; and he first made himself known to the learned world by publishing, in 1605, a work entitled, " Tractatus de variis Annorum Forrnis." Of this he published a defence, in 1607, against the arrogant censures of Joseph Scanger ' and he ventured directly to attack that proud dictator of literature in his " Emendatio Temporum ab Initio Mundi hue usque Compendio facta, ,contra Scaligerum et alios," 1609: This learned work was dedicated to Henry, Prince of Wales, who appointed him his chronologer and cosmographer, and would no doubt have been a liberal patron to him, as he was to men of science in general, had not his auspicious commencements been cut short by an untimely death. At the above period, Dr. Usher, afterwards the celebrated archbishop, being on a visit to England, became acquainted with Mr. Lydiat, whom he persuaded to accompany him to Ireland, where he procured him apartments in Dublin college. A community of studies was doubtless the prin- cipal inducement for. Usher to desire his company; and it is highly probable that he derived assistance from him. in his own chronological labours.* Mr. Lydiat is said to have continued about two years in Ireland, though the time cannot be exactly ascertained. It appears, however, from letters in Parr's Collection ' that he was in Ireland in 1610, and that he was returned to England in August, 1611. From the same authority we also learn, that there had been a design of settling him in the public school at Armagh. He had many friends, among whom were the lord deputy, and the chancellor of Ireland, whojointly promised to dogreat things for him ; but were prevented by his coming to England, and returning no more to that coulitry.t. There is a circumstance connected with Mr. Lydiat's visit to Ireland which is involved in considerable obscurity. It is asserted in the notes to the life of Usher,t that soon after A ikin's Lives of Selden and Usher,11. 402. Wood's Athena; Oxon. vol. ii. p.46. .f. Biog. Briton. vol. vi. p. 4067.
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