n bills, and by the circumstance that though a number of them were
popular, few were _pub._ Among them may be mentioned _The Four Prentices
of London_ (1600) (ridiculed in Fletcher's _Knight of the Burning
Pestle_), _Edward IV._ (2 parts) in 1600 and 1605, _The Royal King and
the Loyal Subject_ (1637), _A Woman Killed with Kindness_ (1603), _Rape
of Lucrece_ (1608), _Fair Maid of the Exchange_ (1607), _Love's Mistress_
(1636), and _Wise Woman of Hogsdon_ (1638). H. also wrote an _Apology for
Actors_ (1612), a poem, _Hierarchy of the Blessed Angels_ (1635), and
made various translations. He was thoroughly English in his subjects and
treatment, and had invention, liveliness, and truth to nature, but lacked
the higher poetic sense, and of course wrote far too much to write
uniformly well.

HIGDEN, RANULF or RALPH (_d._ 1364).--Chronicler, is believed to have
been _b._ in the West of England, took the monastic vow (Benedictine), at
Chester in 1299, and seems to have travelled over the North of England.
His fame rests on his _Polychronicon_, a universal history reaching down
to contemporary events. The work is divided into 7 books and, though of
no great value as an authority, has an interest as showing the state of
historical and geographical knowledge at the time. Written in Latin, it
was translated into English by John of Trevisa (_q.v._) (1387), and
printed by Caxton (1482), and by others. Another translation of the 15th
century was issued in the Rolls Series. For two centuries it was an
approved work. H. wrote various other treatises on theology and history.

HILL, AARON (1685-1750).--Dramatist and miscellaneous writer, _s._ of a
country gentleman of Wiltshire, was _ed._ at Westminster School, and
thereafter made a tour in the East. He was the author of 17 dramatic
pieces, some of them, such as his versions of Voltaire's _Zaire_ and
_Merope_, being adaptations. He also wrote a quantity of poetry, which,
notwithstanding some good passages, is as a general rule dull and
pompous. Having written some satiric lines on Pope he received in return
a niche in _The Dunciad_, which led to a controversy, in which H. showed
some spirit. Afterwards a reconciliation took place. He was a friend and
correspondent of Richardson, whose _Pamela_ he highly praised. In
addition to his literary pursuits H. was a great projector, but his
schemes were usually unsuccessful. He was a good and honourable man, but
over-impressed with his own im