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Our adventurer was the only survivor of a large family of brothers and sisters, the children of humble people named Patrick and Mary Higgins, who died about the year 1760, and were interred* in Kilbarrack churchyard, near Howth. They are said to have migrated from Downpatrick, and we learn from the same authority that their real name was M'Quignan. He himself was born in a cellar in Dublin, and while yet of tender years, became successively "errand boy, shoeblack, and waiter in a porter house".

The number of times which Higgins used his broom, or shouldered pewter pots, would be uninteresting to enumerate, and unprofitable to record. Passing over a few years occupied in this manner, we shall reintroduce Mr. Higgins to the reader, discharging his duties as a "hackney writing clerk" in the office of Daniel Bourne, attorney-at-law, Patrick's Close, Dublin. He was born a Roman Catholic, but he had now read his recantation, as appears from the Official Register of Conversions preserved in the Record Tower, Dublin Castle.§ Nevertheless, he failed to rise in the social scale. Having become a perfect master of scrivenery, a strong temptation smote him to turn his talent for caligraphy to some more substantial account * Will of Francis Higgins, Prerogative Court, Dublin. + Dublin Evening Post, No. 1837.

Dublin Evening Post, No. 1765.

§ The same book, which seems unknown to most Irish historical and biographical writers, contains the names of Barry Yelverton, afterwards Lord Avonmore, Leonard MacNally, and several other men of mark. Thanks to the energy of Sir Bernard Burke, the courteous and efficient custodian of the Records, many valuable MSS., of which the existence was previously almost unknown, are constantly turning up, to the great pleasure and profit of historical students.

than £16 per annum, the general salary of hackney writing clerks in those days.* Higgins had great ambition, but without money and connexion he was powerless. Accordingly, to gain these ends, we find him in 1766 forging with his cunning brain and ready hand a series of legal instruments purporting to show that he was not only a man of large landed property, but in the enjoyment of an office of some importance under the government. Trusting to his tact for complete success, Higgins, full of daring, sought Father Shortall, and on his knees hypocritically declared himself a convert to the Roman Catholic Church. The iron pressure of the Penal Code had not then received its first relaxation; Catholics were daily conforming to the Establishment; Father Shortall regarded Mr. Higgins's case as a very interesting and touching one, and he affectionately received the convert squire into the heaving bosom of the suffering Church of Ireland. "And now, holy father", said the neophyte, "I must implore of you to keep my conversion secret. My parent has got a property of £3,000 a-year, and if this matter transpires I shall be disinherited". The good pastor assured him that he would be as silent as the grave; he gave him his blessing, and Higgins retired, hugging himself in his dexterity, and offering mental congratulations on the prospect that began to open to his future success. When this religous intercourse had continued for some time, Higgins told his spiritual adviser that the ease of his soul was such as induced him humbly to hope that the Almighty had accepted the sincerity of his repentance. "If anything be now wanting to my

* Faulkner's Dublin Journal, January 24th, 1767.

complete happiness", he added, "it is an amiable wife of the true religion, whose bright example will serve to keep my frail resolutions firm; as to the amount of fortune, it is an object of little or no consideration, for, as you are aware, my means will be ample".* His engaging manner won the heart of Father Shortall, who resolved and avowed to befriend him as far as in his power lay. Duped by the hypocrisy of our adventurer, the unsuspecting priest introduced him to the family of an eminent Catholic merchant named Archer, who resided in Thomas Street.

To strengthen his footing, Higgins ordered some goods from Mr. Archer, and requested that they might be sent to 76 Stephen's Green, the house of his uncle, the then celebrated Counsellor Harward. Mr. Archer treated his visitor with the respect due to the nephew and, as it seemed, the heir presumptive of that eminent lawyer. The approach to deformity of Higgins's person had made Miss Archer shrink from his attentions; but her parents, who rejoiced at the prospect of an alliance so apparently advantageous, sternly overruled their daughter's reluctance. The intimacy gradually grew. Higgins accompanied Mr. Archer and his daughter on a country excursion; seated in a noddy they returned to town through Stephen's Green, and in passing Mr. Harward's house, Higgins in a loud tone expressed a hope to some person at the door that his uncle's health continued to convalesce.† When too late Mr. Archer discovered that no possible relationship existed between his hopeful son-in-law and the old counsellor.

* Sketches of Irish Political Characters. By Henry Mac Dougall, M.A., T.C.D. Lond. 1799, p. 182.

+ Tradition communicated by the late Very Rev. Monsig. Yore.

It is also traditionally stated by Mr. R—, of Dublin, that Higgins turned to profitable account an intimacy which he had formed with the servants of one of the judges. His lordship having gone on circuit, a perfect "high life below stairs" was performed in his absence; and Higgins, to promote the progress of his scheme, succeeded in persuading his friend, the coachman, to drive him to a few places in the judicial carriage.

The imposture was too well planned to fail; but let us allow the heart-broken father to tell the tragic tale in his own words.

"County of the City) The examination of William Archer, of Dublin, to wit. of Dublin, merchant, who being duly sworn and examined, saith, that on the 9th day of November [1766] last, one Francis Higgins, who this examinant now hears and believes to be a common hackney writing clerk, came to the house of this examinant in company with a clergyman of the Church of Rome,*

* I am indebted to John Cornelius O'Callaghan, Esq., the able author of The Green Book, and historian of The Irish Brigades in the Service of France, for the following tradition, which he has obligingly taken down from the lips of an octogenarian relative:

"1 Upper Rutland Street,

"January 16th, 1865.

"The circumstance respecting the 'Sham Squire' to which I alluded, was as follows: The Rev. Mr. Shortall (I believe a Jesuit) became acquainted with Higgins through the medium of religion; the fellow having pretended to become a convert to the Catholic Church, and even so zealous a one, as to confess himself every Saturday to that gentleman, in order to receive the Blessed Sacrament the following day! This having gone on for some time, Mr. Shortall formed a high opinion of Higgins, and spoke of him in such terms to the parents of the young lady he was designing to marry, that they were proportionately influenced in his favour. After the fatal marriage' Mr. Shortall was sent to Cork, and was introduced there to my maternal grandmother and her sisters, to

and was introduced as a man possessing lands in the county of Down, to the amount of £250 per annum, which he, the said Francis Higgins, pretended to this examinant, in order to deceive and cheat him; and also that he was in considerable employ in the revenue; and that he was entitled to a large property on the death of William Harward, Esq., who the said Higgins alleged was his guardian and had adopted him. In a few days after this introduction (during which time he paid his addresses to Miss Maryanne Archer, the daughter of this examinant) he produced a state of a case, all of his own handwriting, saying, that he was entitled to the lands of Ballyveabeg, Islang, Ballahanera, and Dansfort, in the county of Down; and the more effectually to de ceive and cheat this examinant and his daughter, Higgins had at the foot thereof obtained the legal opinion of the said William Harward, Esq., that he was entitled to said lands under a will mentioned to be made in said case. Higgins, in order to deceive this examinant, and to induce him to consent to a marriage with his daughter, agreed to settle £1,500 on her, and informed examinant that if said marriage was not speedily performed, his guardian would force him to take the oath to qualify him to become an attorney, which he could not think of, as he pretended to be of the contrary opinion; and that as to the title deeds of said lands, he could not then come at them, being lodged, as he pretended, with William Harward, Esq. But that if examinant thought proper, he would open a window in William Harward's house, in order to come at said deeds, let what would be the consequences. Examinant was advised not to insist on said measure, and therefore whom he used to mention how bitterly he regretted having been so imposed upon. The story made such an impression on as a child, that, shortly after she came to Dublin, she went to see the Sham Squire's' tomb, in Kilbarrack churchyard.

"I am, most sincerely yours,

"JOHN CORNLS. O'CALLAGHAN".

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