Griffin Higgs

second Son of Griff. Higgs (by Sarah Paine his Wife Dau. of Rob. Paine of Caversham in Oxfordshire) Son of Nich. Higgs, descended of a wealthy and honest Family living in Glocestershire, was born at Stoke Abbat, commonly called South Stoke, near Henley in Oxfordshire, and was baptized there on the day of S. Sim. and Jude in the year 1589. After he had been trained up in Grammar learning at Reading, he was sent to S. Johns Coll. in the beginning of the year 1606, where making great proficiency in Logick and Philosophy under Mr. Rich. Tillesley his Tutour, he was worthily esteemed the flower of the undergraduats of that house, whether for Oratory or Disputations. After he had taken the degree of Bach. of Arts, he wrot in Lat. verse.

Nativitas, vita & mors D. Thomae White Militis, & Alderm. Civitatis Lond. & Fundatoris Coll. S. Johannis Bapt. Oxon. This is a MS. in the custody of the President of that house, and hath this beginning, Inclyto Whitaeae, primordia condere gentis. Also in prose.

A true and faithful relation of the rising and fall of Thom. Tooker Prince of Alba Fortunata, Lord of S. Johns, with the occurrents which hapned throughout his whole dominion.—This is also a Ms. bound with the former, and hath this beginning, It hapned in the year of our Lord 1607, the 31. of Oct. being All saints Eve, &c. This Book which is in fol. contains verses, speeches, playes, &c. as also the description of the Christmas Prince of S. Joh. Coll. whom the Juniors have annually for the most part elected from the first foundation of the College: And in the beginning of Qu. Elizabeths Reign, John Case afterwards Doctor of Phys. and a noted Philosopher did with great credit undergo that Office. When the said Tooker was elected Prince, he assumed these titles, viz. The most magnificent and renowned Thomas, by the favour of fortune, Prince of Alba Fortunata, Lord of S. Johns, High Regent of the Hall, Duke of S. Giles, Marquess of Magdalens, Landgrave of the Grove, Count Palatine of the Cloysters, Chief Baylive of Beaumont, High Ruler of ((*))((*)) Rome is a piece of Land so called near to the end of the walk called Non ultra on the north side of Oxon. Rome, Master of the Mannour of Walton, Governour of Glocester Green, sole Commander of all titles, turnaments and triumphs, Superintendent in all solemnities whatsoever. The said Tooker who was Fellow of S. Johns Coll. was afterwards Bach. of Divinity, Prebendary of Bristow, &c. and the custom was not only observed in that Coll. but in several other Houses, particularly in Mert. Coll, where, from the first foundation, the Fellows annually elected, about S. Edmunds day in November, a Christmas Lord, or Lord of misrule, stiled in their registers Rex Fabarum and Rex regni fabarum: Which custome continued till the reformation of Religion, and then that producing Puritanisme, and Puritanisme Presbytery, the professors of it looked upon such laudable and ingenious customes as Popish, Diabolical and Antichristian. Our Author Higgs was, about the same time that he wrot and collected the said Folio Book, elected Probationer Fellow of Mert. Coll. an. 1611, and taking the degree of Master, had Holy Orders confer’d on him and two small cures successively in that College gift. In 1622 he did undergo with great courage, tho of little stature, the procuratorial office of the University, and being afterwards Bach. of Div. was in the year 1627 sent to the Hague by his Majesty to be Chaplain to his Sister Elizabeth Qu. of Bohemia; in which employment he continued at least 12 years. In the year 1629/30, he performed his exercise at Leyden for the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and was forthwith created Doctor of that fac. by the famous Andrew Rivet. At length being called home from his service by his Majesty, he was by the endeavours of Dr. Laud made Rector of the rich Church of Clive or Cliff near to Dover in Kent, Chauntor of S. Davids, and upon the removal of Dr. Sam. Fell to the Deanery of Ch. Ch. in Oxon, was made Dean of Lichfield, in 1638 (the Cathedral of which he adorned to his great charge) and Chapl. in ord. to his Majesty. At length the Civil Wars breaking forth he suffer [•] d for his Majesties cause, was plundred, sequestred, lost his spiritualities, &c. So that retiring to the place of his nativity spent there the remainder of his days in great retiredness, study and devotion. He hath written besides those things beforementioned,

Problemata Thologica. Lugd. Bat. 1630. qu.

Miscellaneae Theses Theologicae. Lugd. Bat. 1630. qu. These were defended by him, when he was made Doctor at Leyden 12. Feb. 1630. according to the accompt there followed. He wrot other things worthy of the Press, but are not yet made publick. At length after he had spent most of his time in prosperity, and part in adversity, yet all in celebacy, he surrendred up his pious Soul to God at South Stoke beforemention’d on the 16 day of Decemb. in sixteen hundred fifty and nine,1659. and was buried in the Chancel of the Church there. About that time was a comly mon. set up in the wall over his grave, with a large inscription thereon, written mostly by himself, the contents of which shall now for brevity sake be omitted. By his last Will and Test. he gave 5 l. to the Church of S. Stoke, and 100 l. to buy Land for the poor of that town. Six hundred pounds also he gave to purchase free land of soccage to the value of 30 l. per an. for the maintenance of a Schoolmaster there, to be purchased by the Warden and Fellows of Mert. Coll. whom he appointed Patrons of the School to be erected there. He also gave several Books to the publick Library at Oxon, was a benefactor to S. Johns Coll. and a greater to Merton; to the last of which he gave all his Library, that had been for the most part plundered in the time of rebellion, and put into the Library at Stafford. But upon several attempts that the members of that house made to gain it, they were as often repuls’d by the Staffordians to their great charge. He gave to the said Coll. also as much money that would clearly purchase 10 l. per an. to be bestowed on one of the society thereof to be keeper of the Library there.