Dryden. As empty clouds by rising winds are tost, Their fleeting forms scarce sooner found than lost. Prior. He told us that the welkin would be clear When swallows fleet soar high and sport in air. Gay. Contemplate mortal! on thy flecting years, See, with black train the funeral pomp appears. Id. FLEET implies, not only a company of ships of war belonging to a prince or state, but also a number of trading ships employed in a particular branch of commerce. His Britannic majesty's fleet is divided into three squadrons, viz. the red, the white, and the blue. When any of the admirals are invested with the command of a squadron or detachment of men of war, the particular ships are distinguished by the colors of their respective squadron: i. e. the ships of the red squadron wear an ensign whose union is displayed on a red field; the ensigns of the white squadron have a white field; and those of the blue squadron a blue field; the union being common to all three. The ships of war, therefore, are occasionally annexed to any of the three squadrons, or shifted from one to another. Of whatsoever number a fleet of ships of war is composed, it is usually divided into three squadrons; and these, if numerous, are again separated into divisions. The admiral, or principal officer, commands the centre; the vice-admiral, or second in command, superintends the van guard; and the operations of the rear are directed by the rear admiral, or the officer next in rank. The disposition of a fleet, while proceeding on a voyage, will in some measure depend on particular circumstances; as the difficulty of the navigation, the necessity of despatch, according to the urgency or importance of the expedition, or the expectation of an enemy in the passage. The most convenient order is probably to range it into three columns, each of which is parallel to a line close hauled, according to the tack on which the line of battle is designed to be formed. This arrangement is more useful than any, because it contains the advantages of every other form, without their inconveniences. The fleet being thus more enclosed will more readily observe the signals, and with greater facility form into the line of battle; a circumstance which should be kept in view in every order of sailing. See NAVAL TACTICS.

FLEET, a noted prison in London, where persons are committed for contempt of the king and his laws, particularly of his courts of justice; or for debt. There are large rules and a warden belonging to the Fleet prison; which had its name from the river or ditch, on the side whereof it

stands.

FLE'ETINGDISH, n. s. From fleet and dish. A skimming bowl.

FLEETWOOD (Charles), a general of the parliamentary army in the civil wars, was the son of Sir William Fleetwood, knight, ranger of

Woodstock park. He early entered the army, commanded a regiment of cavalry in 1644, and afterwards held Bristol for the parliament. Fleetwood at the battle of Worcester bore the rank of lieutenant-general, and becoming allied to the family of the protector, by marrying his daughter, after the decease of her first husband, Ireton, was by him sent as lord deputy to Ireland. On the death of Cromwell he joined in inducing his son, Richard, to abdicate. He died at Stoke Newington shortly after the Restoration.

FLEETWOOD (William), a learned bishop of an ancient family in Lancashire, born in the Tower of London, 1656; he distinguished himself during king William III's reign, by his Inscriptionum Antiquarum Sylloge, by several sermons preached on public occasions, and by his Essay on Miracles. He was designed by king William to a canonry of Windsor. The grant did not pass the seals before the king's death; but the queen gave it him, and he was installed in 1702. In 1707 he published, without his name, his Chronicon Pretiosum. In 1708 he was nominated by the queen to the see of St. Asaph. The change of the queen's ministry gave him much regret. In 1715 he published a pamphlet entitled, The thirteenth chapter of the Romans vindicated from the abusive senses put upon it. In 1714 he was translated to the bishopric of Ely; and died in 1723, aged sixty-seven. He published several other sermons and tracts, and was a man of exemplary piety.

FLEMINGIANS, or FLANDRIANS, in ecclesiastical history, a sect of Anabaptists, who acquired this name in the sixteenth century, because most of them were natives of Flanders, by way of distinction from the Waterlandians. In consequence of some dissensions among the Flemingians relating to the treatment of excommunicated persons, they were divided into two sects, distinguished by the appellations of Flandrians and Frieslanders, who differed from each other in their manners and discipline. Many of these in process of time came over to the moderate community of the Waterlandians, and those who remained separate are still known by the name of old Flemingians or Flandrians; but they are comparatively few in number. These maintained the opinion of Menno with respect to the incarnation of Christ; alleging that his body was produced by the creating power of the Holy Ghost, and not derived from his mother Mary. See MENNONITES.

FLEMING (A), a poet of queen Elizabeth's reign, whose history is little known. He was a voluminous original writer as well as translator. Among his most celebrated original works are A Grove of Graces, supplied with Plentie of Plants, applicable to Pleasure and Profit; the Schoole of Skill; the Footepath to Felicitie; a Swarme of Bees, with their Honie and Honicombs, printed together in 1602, 12mo. The Diamond of Devotion, 12mo. The Cundyt of Comfort, 12mo., and A Memorial of the Almes Deeds of William Lamb, Citizen of London. Fleming translated the Bucolics and Georgics of Virgil, and some of Cicero's .Orations, and Ælian's various Histories, into prose; and he was the editor of Holinshed's Chronicle.

FLEMMING, or FLEMMYNCE (Richard), an English prelate, born at Croston in Yorkshire. He received his education at University College, Oxford, and in 1408 obtained a prebend in York. He was for a time a zealous defender of the doctrines of Wickliffe, but he afterwards became a determined opponent of them. In 1442 he was promoted to the bishopric of Lincoln, and soon after was sent deputy to the council of Constance, where he greatly distinguished himself by his eloquence. Upon his return to England he executed the decree of that assembly, in digging up the bones of Wickliffe, and causing them to be burned. After this he was nominated by the pope to the see of York; but, the king refusing his consent, he was obliged to remain at Lincoln. He founded Lincoln College, and died in 1431.

FLEMYNG, or FLEMING (Robert), a Scottish presbyterian minister, born at Bathens, in 1630 and educated at St. Andrews. When about the age of twenty-three he obtained a pastoral charge, but at the Restoration went over to the continent, and settled at Rotterdam, where he officiated to the Scottish congregation, and died in 1694. He wrote several tracts, but that by which he is best known is a work entitled The Fulfilling of the Scriptures.

FLEMYNG, OF FLEMING (Robert), son of the above, was born in Scotland. He studied at Leyden and Utrecht, and became minister of an English congregation at the former place, whence he removed to the Scottish church at Amsterdanı. Here he resided several years, and afterwards went to London, where he officiated to the Scottish church in Lothbury, and was lecturer at Salter's Hall. He died in 1716. He was the author of several sermons and tracts; but his principal work is entitled Christology, 3 vols.

8vo.

FLENSBOURG, a sea-port town of Denmark, on the eastern coast of the duchy of Sleswick, is perhaps the most opulent and important place in the duchy. The streets are narrow, and the houses are constructed in a substantial and durable manner. It consists principally of one very long street, the back of which looks towards the harbour, and on that side each house has a garden. On the right is the harbour, filled with vessels, and every way safe and convenient. It is narrow close to the town, but the whole bay, called Flensbourg Wisk, is eighteen miles long, and has a sufficient depth for large vessels, well sheltered from wind by the neighbouring

hills.

of tobacco, and some tanneries. The position of the town, according to trigonometrical observations, is, E. long. 9° 27′ 40′′, and N. lat. 54° 47′ 18".

FLESH, n. s. & v. a.) FLESH-BROTH,

FLESH'-COLOR,

FLESH'-DIET,
FLESH'ED, adj.
FLESH-FLY, N. S.
FLESH'-HOOK,
FLESH'LESS, adj.
FLESH'INESS, n. 3.
FLESH'LY, adv.
FLESH'-MEAT, N. S.
FLESH'MENT,
FLESH MONGer,
FLESH'-POT,
FLESH'-QUAKE,
FLESH'Y, adv.

Saxon Flerc, flæƑc; Icel. and Teut. fleisch; Belg. vleesch; Swed. flasch; from Goth. lijk, MS. leiki; Teut. leich; Sax. lic, a carcass.Thomson. The muscular part of an ani(mal; animal food; animal nature; near relation: in theology, gross or worldly disposition, gross or literal sense: to flesh is to initiate; harden; glut; from the sportsman's practice of feeding his hawks and dogs with the first game that they take, or training them to pursuit by giving them the flesh of animals: fleshed is fat; well-fed; also initiated; accustomed to: fleshiness, plumpness; fullness of flesh: fleshly, corporeal; animal; human; not celestial or spiritual: fleshment, eagerness arising from partial success: fleshmonger, one who deals in flesh; a pimp: flesh-quake, a tremor of the whole frame: the other compounds seem obvious in their meaning.

For I myself desiride to be departed fro Crist for my britheren that ben my cosyns aftir the fleisch Wiclif. Romayns ix.

that ben men of Israel.

The eternal Lord in fleshly shrine Enwombed was, from wretched Adam's line,

Faerie Queene.

He would, through temperance and steadfastness, Teach him the weak to strengthen, and the strong Spenser.

suppress.

Name not religion, for thou lovest the flesh.

Shakspeare.

There is another indictment upon thee, for suffering flesh to be eaten in thy house, contrary to the Id. Henry IV. law. As if this flesh, which walls about our life, Id. Richard II. Were brass impregnable.

Harry from curbed licence plucks The muzzle of restraint: and the wild dog Shall flesh his tooth on every innocent.

Shakspeare.

The kindred of him that hath been fleshed upon us; And he is bred out of that bloody strain, That hunted us in our familiar paths. Id. Henry V. I would no more endura

This wooden slavery, than I would suffer The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Id. Tempest. Was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him? Id. Measure for Measure. Those fruits that are so fleshy, as they cannot make drink by expression, yet may make drink by mixture

of water.

Bacon.

FLETCHER, n. s. From Fr. fleche, an

arrow. A manufacturer of bows and arrows.

FLETCHER (James), an English author of some estimation, admired for his talents, and pitied for his misfortunes. When about to be appointed to a wranglership at Cambridge, where he had been admitted, he neglected to attend at the appointed hour, and was afterwards so much affected by the loss his inattention occasioned, that he withdrew from the university in self-disgust,

Ray.

66

66

and came to London to seek his fortune and acquire fame. There he obtained the situation of classical assistant in a grammar school, and discharged its duties with zeal for two years, during which period, also, he found leisure to write his Siege of Damascus," "the Gem," a collection of poems, and a History of Poland." These various publications established his reputation as an author, and induced him to abandon the less interesting but more permanent mode of life which he had previously adopted. The failure of his publisher leaving Fletcher liable for an acceptance of twenty-five pounds, early convinced him of the perilous ocean he had set sail upon, and so deeply affected his spirits and faculties, that he suddenly declined taking any sustenance, scarcely recognized his intimate acquaintance, and at last fell by his own hand on the 3rd of February 1833, at the early age of twenty-one years.

FLETCHER (Andrew), of Salton, a celebrated Scotch political writer, was the son of Sir Robert Fletcher of Salton, and was born in 1653. His father, on his death-bed, left the care of his education to Dr. (afterwards Bp.) Burnet, from whom he early contracted an ardent love of liberty, and an aversion to arbitrary government. Hence he readily took alarm at the despotic measures of Charles II., and being knight of the shire for Lothian, at the time the duke of York was commissioner, he openly opposed the design.s of that prince. He also assisted lord viscount Stair in framing the test act. On these accounts he became peculiarly obnoxious to the duke; and was at last obliged to flee to Holland, to avoid prosecution. Being cited before the privy council and justiciary court, and not appearing, he was declared an outlaw, and his estate confiscated. In Holland he was consulted by the earl of Argyle concerning the designs then in agitation; and in 1681 came over to England, with a Mr. Baillie, to concert matters with lord Russel. Mr. Fletcher managed his part of the negociation with so much address, that administration could find no pretext for seizing him: Baillie was, however, condemned to death; and, although offered a pardon on condition of accusing his friend, he persisted in rejecting the proposal with Hague, to promote the opposition to the arbiindignation. In 1685 Mr. Fletcher went to the trary measures of James II.; but it does not appear that he possessed much of the confidence of the party. He, however, joined the duke of Monmouth upon his landing, and received a principal command under him. But the duke was deprived of his services by the following occurrence:- Being sent upon an expedition, and not esteeming times of danger to be times of ceremony, he had seized the horse of the mayor of

Lyme, which stood ready equipped for its master. The mayor, hearing this, ran in a passion to Fletcher, gave him opprobrious language, shook his cane, and attempted to strike him. Fletcher, though rigid in the duties of morality, yet having been accustomed to foreign service both by sea and land, in which he had acquired high ideas of the honor of a soldier and a gentleman, and of the affront of a cane, pulled out his pistol, and shot him dead on the spot. A clamor was on this raised against him among the people of the country in a body they waited upon the duke with their complaints; and he was forced to dismiss him. The earl of Buchan and some others of his biographers, however, give the following account of the cause of his departure. The earl says that when Monmouth was proclaimed king at Taunton, Mr. Fletcher saw his deception, and resolved to proceed no farther in his engagements, which he considered from that moment as treason against the just rights of the nation, and treachery on the part of Monmouth.' It was his misfortune to land in Spain; where he was immediately arrested, and cast into prison, till a vessel should be prepared to carry him a victim in chains to the court of London. But on the morning before the ship could sail he was liberated by some unknown friend, and in disguise he proceeded in safety through Spain. During his exile he maintained an extensive correspondence with the friends of liberty at home, and partly employed himself in making a curious collection of books. He repaired to Hungary, and served several campaigns as a volunteer under the duke of Lorraine with great reputation. At length, understanding that the great design then projecting in Holland (and upon the issue of which he considered the liberties of Britain to depend), had attained a considerable degree of maturity, he hastened thither; where his counsels and address were of eminent service. He came over with the stadtholder; and in zeal, activity, and political skill, proved inferior to none of the leaders in the Revolution. It appears, however, that, while others labored to turn this event to their own emolument and aggrandisement, Fletcher asked nothing. His estate had been forfeited, and his house abandoned to the military; his fortune was greatly shattered, and his family reduced to distress. Nothing was given him in recompense of all his sufferings. On the contrary, he and the duke of Hamilton were distinguished by marks of royal and ministerial dislike. In 1703 he opposed a vote of supply until the house should consider what was necessary to secure the religion and liberties of the nation on the death of the queen' (Anne), and carried various limitations of the prerogative, forming part of the Act of Security, rendered nugatory by the Scottish Union, which he vehemently opposed. He died at London in 1716, aged sixty-six. His remains were conveyed to Scotland, and deposited in the family vault at Salton. His political principles,' says lord Buchan, 'were too high and refined, and his sentiments were too Roman, or rather, as I may now say, too Gallic, and too much in the odor of philosophical politics, to accept of the privilege granted by James II's act of indemnity, to return to his country

and estate, when under the dominion of disguised despotism sanctioned by a venal parliament.' He also possessed a dignity and warmth of temper which would not suffer him to brook an indignity from any rank of men, or in any place. Of this he exhibited a singular proof in the Scotch parliament. The earl of Stair, secretary of state and minister for Scotland, having in the heat of debate used an improper expression in reference to Mr. Fletcher, he seized him by his robe, and insisted upon public and immediate satisfaction, when his lordship was obliged instantly to beg his pardon, in oresence of the parliament

FLETCHER (Dr. Giles), a politica writer of the sixteenth century, was born in Kent, and educated at Eton. In 1569 he took the degree of B. A. at Cambridge. In 1573 that of M. A. and in 1581, that of LL. D. He was sent by queen Elizabeth as a commissioner into Scotland, Germany, and the Netherlands; and in 1588 as ambassador to Russia, to settle a treaty of commerce with the czar Theodore, and revive the trade of the English Russia Company, which the Dutch had encroached on. This he not only accomplished, but, from the observations he made during his embassy, drew up and published on his return, An account of the Russe commonwealth, or Manner of Government by the Russe Emperor, commonly called the Emperor of Moskovia; with the manners and fashions of the people of that country, 1590, 8vo., re-printed in 1643 in 12mo. He was afterwards made secretary to the city of London; master of requests, and treasurer of St. Paul's; and died in 1610.

FLETCHER (Dr. Richard), brother to Dr. Giles, was born in Kent, educated and graduated at Cambridge, promoted to be dean of Peterborough, in 1583; bishop of Bristol in 1589; of Worcester in 1592, and of London in 1594. He attended Mary queen of Scots at her execution, in 1587, and importuned her to change her religion. He was twice married, which gave such offence to the virgin queen, that she ordered him to be suspended from his bishopric. He was afterwards restored, but the disgrace is said to have hastened his death. He died suddenly in his chair at London in 1596.

FLETCHER (John), son of the preceding, was born in 1576, and rendered himself famous by his dramatic writings, in concert with his friend Francis Beaumont. See BEAUMONT. He was educated at Cambridge, where he made a great proficiency in his studies. His natural vivacity, for which he was remarkable, soon rendered him a devotee to the Muses; and his fortunate connexion with a genius equal to his own raised him to one of the highest places in the temple of poetical fame. He was born nearly ten years before Mr. Beaumont, and survived him about the same length of time; the plague, which happened in 1625, involving him in its general destruction, in his forty-ninth year.

FLETCHER (Phineas), son of Dr. Giles Fletcher, was educated at Eton, whence he was removed to King's College, Cambridge, in 1600. He took orders in 1621, and obtained the living of Helgay in Norfolk, which he retained nearly twenty-nine years. His principal works are the

Purple Island, and Piscatory Eclogues; the former being a description of man, founded upon an allegory in the ninth canto of the second book of the Faerie Queen, and in the Spenserian style. Fletcher also wrote a dramatic piece entitled Sicelides, intended to be performed at Cambridge before king James I., and printed in 1611; and a work in prose entitled De Literatis Antiquæ Britanniæ.

FLETCHER (Abraham), an ingenious mathematician, born at Little Broughton, in Cumberland, in 1714, and bred to his father's business, which was that of a tobacco-pipe maker. He learned to read and write entirely by his own application, after which he taught himself arithmetic, and mathematics, to which he added the study of botany. When about thirty years of age he became schoolmaster, to which profession he added those of astrologer and doctor, by which means he acquired a fortune of £3000. He died in 1793. He drew up a compendium of practical mathematics, under the title of the Universal Measurer, published in 1 vol. 8vo.

FLETCHER, OF FLECHIERE (John William de la), a Swiss divine, was born at Nyon, in the Pays de Vaud. He was educated at Geneva, but went into the military service in Portugal, which profession he quitted and became a tutor in the Hill family. In March, 1757, he took orders; and three years afterwards was made vicar of Madeley in Shropshire. In 1770 he took charge of lady Huntingdon's school for educating young men for the ministry, at Trevecca in Wales, but, in consequence of his anti-calvinistic principles, did not long remain. He then labored among the Wesleyan methodists, his attachment to whom exposed him to much annoyance. He died in 1786, leaving behind him a very amiable character, and ten volumes of controversial works against Calvinism.

FLETEWOOD (William), an eminent English lawyer and recorder of London, in the reign of queen Elizabeth. He was very zealous in suppressing mass-houses, and committing popish priests; but once rushing in upon mass at the Portuguese ambassador's house, he was committed to the fleet for breach of privilege, but soon released. He was a good popular speaker, wrote upon government, and was a good antiquarian. His principal works are, 1. Annalium tam regum Edwardi V. Ricardi III. et Henrici VII. quam Henrici VIII. 2. A Table of the reports of Edmund Plowden. 3. The Office of a Justice of Peace He died about 1593.

FLEVILLEA, in botany, a genus of the hexandria order, and diœcia class of plants. Male CAL. quinquefid: COR. quinquefid: stamina five; the nectarium five converging filaments. Female CAL. quinquefid; there are three styles; fruit an hard trilocular barky apple.

FLEURI (Andrew, Hercules de), bishop of Frejus, preceptor to Louis XV., cardinal and minister of state, was born in 1653, and died in 1743. He was an able negociator; and distinguished himself during his ministry by his probity, and his pacific disposition.

FLEURI, or FLEURY (Claude), one of the best French critics and historians of his age, was born at Paris in 1640. He applied himself to

the law, was made advocate for the parliament of Paris, and attended the bar nine years: he then entered into orders, and was made preceptor to the princes of Conti. In 1689 Lewis XIV. made him sub-preceptor to the dukes of Burgundy, Anjou, and Berry: and in 1706 he gave him the priory of Argenteuille. In 1716 he was chosen counsellor to Louis XV. and died in 1723. He was the author of a great number of esteemed French works; the principal of which are, 1. An Ecclesiastical History, in twenty volunes, the last of which ends with the year 1414. 2. The Manners of the Israelites and Christians. 3. Institutions of Ecclesiastical Law. 4. On the Choice and Method of study. 5. The Duties of Masters and Servants, &c.

FLEURUS, a small town of the Netherlands in Hainault, not far from the Sambre. In 1622 a celebrated battle took place here between the Spaniards and Germans; in 1690 between the Germans and French, the latter commanded by Luxemburg; in 1794 (26th June), between the allies and French, the latter commanded by Jourdan; and finally on the 14th June, 1815, a partial but sharp action between the French and Prussians, just previous to the battle of Waterloo. Population 2020. Seven miles north-east of Charleroi.

FLEUR-DE-LIS, in heraldry. By some this flower is called the lily, or flower of the flag, and has only three leaves, by which it differs from the lily of the garden, that having always five; others suppose it to be the top of a sceptre; some the head of the French battle-axe; others the iron of a javelin used by the ancient French. Many of the deceased antiquaries, according to D. Orwade, as well as some of the present day, have thought, and do think, that it was originally meant to represent that flower from which it derives its name. See diagram, gules, a fleur-de-lis argent; name Digby. FLEURY, a cross-fleury is differenced from the cross-flory, hy its having a line between the ends of the cross and the flowers, which that has not. See diagram. Azure a cross fleury, gules; name Jamieson. FLEW. The preterite of fly, not of flee. The people flew upon the spoil.

1 Samuel xiv. 32. O'er the world of waters Hermes flew, "Till now the distant island rose in view.