Higgins's major work is
The First Parte of the "Mirour for Magistrates" (1574). This expansion of
The Mirrour for Magistrates (1559) by
William Baldwin added the beginning of traditional British history in
Geoffrey of Monmouth, where Baldwin's collection started English history from the reign of
Richard II. Sixteen legends, dealing with Albanact, Locrinus, Bladud, Ferrex, Porrex, Nennius, and others, are told in verse "complaints". Higgins reissued his
First Parte in 1575, enlarging his metrical address at the conclusion, and adding a new poem,
Irenglass. In 1587
Thomas Newton prepared a collective edition of the original
Mirrour and its supplementary volumes. For this edition Higgins prepared 23 further poems: the new series treats of Brennus, Cæsar, Nero, Caracalla, and others. In a later section appears another new poem by him,
How the Valiant Knight, Sir Nicholas Burdet, Chiefe Butler of Normandy, was slayne at Pontoise, Anno 1441.
Richard Niccols reissued all Higgins's contributions in another collective edition of the
Mirrour, published in 1610, and reissued as
The Falles of Vnfortvnate Princes in 1619. In 1815
Joseph Haslewood reprinted the whole work. Other works were: • A revised edition of the
Dictionarie of
Richard Huloet, London, 1572 (by Thomas Marshe), dedication to
Sir George Peckham. •
Flowers, or Eloquent Phrases of the Latine Speach, gathered out of the sixe Comœdies of Terence, whereof those of the first three were selected by Nicholas Vdall, and those of the latter three nowe to them annexed by John Higgins (1575, new edition 1581, by Thomas Marshe). •
The Nomenclator or Remembrancer of Adrianus Junius, Physician, divided into two Tomes, conteining proper names and apt termes for all things vnder their conuenient titles, London (for Ralph Newberie and Henrie Denham), 1585, dedication to
Valentine Dale. • ''An Answer to Master William Perkins concerning Christ's Descension into Hell'' (Oxford, 1602). ==Notes==