Hyde was born circa 1563, the son of Lawrence Hyde I (d1590), Member of Parliament, by his wife Anne Sybill. His brothers were Sir Nicholas Hyde (c1572–1631), Lord Chief Justice of England (1627-1631) and Lawrence Hyde II (1562–1641), attorney-general to Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I.
Magdalen College.
He was the father of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–1674), and thus was great-grandfather of two British monarchs, Queen Mary II and Queen Anne. He lived at Dinton and later at Purton, Wiltshire. He matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford, (then Magdalen Hall) aged 16 in 1579.
He graduated Bachelor in 1581, and was raised to the degree of Master of Arts in 1584.
He entered the Middle Temple and practised as a lawyer Clarendon venerated his father"s memory, describing him as the best of fathers and friends, and remarked that none of the honours he received through his life equalled that of being his father"s son.
He was Member of Parliament for Ludgershall in 1588-1589, and Old Salisbury in 1601.
