Higgins, John

, one of the principal writers in the fourth edition of that early collection of poetical narratives, *' The Mirror for Magistrates,“1575, was a man, as it appears from his share in that work, of considerable talents in poetry, for his time. Higgins lived at Winsham in Somersetshire, was a clergyman, educated at Oxford, and was engaged in the instruction of youth. He compiled, 1. The” Floseuli of Terence,“on the plan of a former collection by Udal, master of Eton. 2. He published also,” Holcot’s Dictionaire, newly corrected, amended, set in order, and enlarged, with many names of men, townes, beastes, fowles, &c. by which you may find the Latine or French name of any Englishe worde you will. By John Higgins, late student in Oxforde.“Printed for Marshe, in 1572, folio. 3.” The Nornenclator of Adrian Junius,“translated into English, in conjunction with Abraham Fleming, and published at London for Newberie and Durham, in 1585, 8vo. From the dedication to this book he seems to have been connected with the school of Ilminster, a neighbouring town in Somersetshire. He appears to have been living so late as 1602; for in that year he published, 4. An answer to a work of controversy by one William Perkins, concerning Christ’s descent to Hell, which was dated at Winsham. The former editions of the” Mirror for Magistrates," were published in 1563, 1571, and 1574. His edition appeared in 1587. The dedication is dated a year earlier. In this he wrote a new induction in the octave stanza, and without assistance from friends began a new series of histories, from A Ibanact the youngest son of Brutus, and the first king of Albanie, or Scotland, |

to the emperor Caracalla. There were also a few additions by other writers, in the poems relating to British personages after the conquest. ¹