104 Peter Higgins

(From De Burgo’s Hib. Dom., p. 561) HE was a member of the Dublin Community. When the war was begun by the Catholics for their faith and country, he was seized by the heretics and cast into a prison, where he endured much from the hardships of the place and want of food. Yet no one made a charge against him, nay rather, many heretics by word of mouth and writing declared he was innocent of any crime. While in prison he made his confession three times to his prior, who by disguising himself contrived to obtain admittance to him. He declared publicly that he was innocent of any crime, and he openly professed his adhesion to the Catholic faith. His constancy in the midst of his sufferings, and the joy shown on his face, moved many of the heretics to tears ; others were still more maddened thereby, so that not only did they expose his dead body to insult, but they would not allow it to be buried within the city; and when it was passing outside the gate, they broke the skull with a blow of the butt of a gun. He was hanged on March 23rd, 1642.