Bevil Higgons facts for kids

Bevil Higgons (born 1670, died 1735) was an English historian and poet. He was born in a place called Kezo. He wrote books about history and also created poems and plays.

Life

Bevil Higgons was the third son of Sir Thomas Higgons. His mother, Bridget, was the daughter of Sir Bevil Grenville.

When he was 16, in 1686, Higgons started studying at St John's College, Oxford. He later moved to Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

After university, Higgons began studying law at the Middle Temple. His family supported King James II, who had been replaced by King William III. This support was called being a "Jacobite." Higgons's uncle, Denis Grenville, even went to France with King James II. Bevil Higgons and his brother Thomas Higgons spent some years living outside England because of their family's beliefs.

When he was allowed to return to England, Bevil and his two brothers were briefly suspected in 1695 of knowing about plans against King William III. However, their detention did not last long.

For the rest of his life, Higgons worked as a writer. He passed away on March 1, 1735. He was buried in Old St. Pancras Churchyard.

Works

Higgons's main works were about history. His most important book was A Short View of the English History (published in 1723). This book looked at the reigns of English kings, their personalities, and important events up to the year 1688. Different versions of this book were printed over the years, and it was even translated into French.

He also wrote Historical and Critical Remarks on Bishop Burnet's History of his own Time in 1725. Both of these history books were later put together and reissued as his Historical Works in 1736. Another book, History of the Life and Reign of Mary Queen of Scots, was also said to be written by Higgons.

Besides history, Higgons wrote poetry. He contributed poems to a collection from Cambridge University in 1688. His poems also appeared in a collection called Examen Poeticum in 1693. He wrote a play called The Generous Conqueror, or the Timely Discovery in 1702. He also wrote introductions and endings for plays by other writers, like William Congreve and his relative George Granville, Lord Lansdowne. Higgons also wrote a poem about the Glorious Peace of Utrecht in 1731. Many of his poems were later collected and reprinted by John Nichols.