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FECHT, or Fechtius (John), a learned German lit- 
theran divine, born in 1636. His native country becom¬ 
ing the feat of war, he was fent fucceffively to the femi- 
naries at Retelen and Durlach. In 1655 he removed to 
Stralburg, where he ftudied with great diligence and fuc- 
cefs. Afterwards he vifited the principal univerfities in 
other parts of Germany, and in 1666 was admitted licen¬ 
tiate in theology at Gieflen. In 1669 he was nominated 
profedorof theology at Durlach. The remainder of his 
life he fpent in that city, and died there in 1716, when 
eighty years of age. He was the author of a variety of 
learned works, in the Latin and German languages, among 
which were, 1. Hifloria Colioquii Emmendingenjis inter Ponti- 
Jicios & Lutheranos , A. D. 1590 injlituti , 1694, 4to. 2. Hif- 
toria Caini & Abe!is f Notts Critkis , Philologicis, HJloricis , & 
Theologicis illitflrata, 1708, 8vo. 3. Critica in Godofredi Ar- 
noldi Criticam, hoc ejl, Judicia veriora in Judicia ejus iniquiora 
.de David e Chytrao lata , 1710, 4to. 4. De Origine id Super. 
Jlitione Mifj'arum in Honorem Santtorum celebratarum, Tr ablatio 
Htjlorico Theo/ogica, 8vo. 5. A Treatife on the Religion 
of the Modern Greeks; &c. 
FECIA'LES, priefts of Rome, employed in declaring 
war, and making peace. When the Romans thought 
themfelves injured, one of this body was empowered to 
demand redrefs, and after the allowance of thirty-three 
days to confider the matter, war was declared if fubmif- 
fionswere not made, and the Fecialis hurled a bloody 
fpear into the territories of the enemy, in proof of in¬ 
tended hoftilities. Livy. See Rome. 
FECK/ENHAM (John de), a learned Englifli catholic 
divine, and the laft mitred abbot who fat in the houfe of 
peers, was a defeendant from poor parents who redded in 
a cottage on Feckenham foreft, in Worcefterfliire, from 
which place he derived his furname, that of his family 
being Howman. When he was eighteen years old, he 
was tent to Gloucefter-college, Oxford, by the clergyman 
-of his parifli. In 1539, he was admitted to the degree of 
bachelor in divinity ; and in 1543, he became chaplain to 
Dr. Edmund Bonner, bifhop of London, with whom he 
continued until the year 1349, when Bonner was deprived 
of his bilhopric, and Feckenham was committed prifoner 
to the Tower of London. Dr. Horne, bilhop of Win- 
chefter, fays, “ that the caufe of his imprifonment was 
bis promifing firft, and then refuting, to adminifter the 
facraments after the proteftant manner.” He was kept 
in cuftody until the accellion of queen Mary, in 1553. 
On that event he was releafed, called to court, and made 
one of her majetly’s chaplains. Healfo became chaplain 
again to bithop Bonner, who in the following year pre- 
fented him to the prebend of Kentifh-town in St. Paul’s 
cathedral. Two days before the execution of lady Jane 
Grey, he was fent to her by the queen, to attempt her 
■converfion to the catholic religion ; but his million proved 
fruitlefs. From being prebendary of St. Paul’s, in 1554 
he was raifed to the deanery of the fame church ; and 
afterwards obtained the reftory of Greenford Magna, in 
the fame county. During the whole of queen Mary’s 
reign, he honourably diftinguiffied himfelf by the good 
offices which he did to the afflicted proteftants. Francis 
RulTel earl of Bedford, Ambrofe and Robert Dudley, af¬ 
terwards earls of Warwick and Leicefter, and fir John 
Cheke, among many others, experienced the benefit of 
his fervices; and he even pleaded fo earneftly with the 
queen as to get the princefs Elizabeth fet at liberty. In 
1556, queen Mary rellored the monadic foundation of 
Wedminder-abbey, and appointed him abbot of the fame. 
Upon the death of Mary in 1558, her fuccelfor, queen 
Elizabeth, was not unmindful of her obligations to Dr. 
Feckenham, and would have rewarded him with a high 
promotion in the church, fome fay with the archbilhopric 
of Canterbury, provided that he conformed to the in¬ 
tended changes in religious matters. His confidence, 
however, would not permit him to accept of hermajedy’s 
offer, but led him to oppofe the deps that were taken to 
bring about a reformation in the church. This he did 
Vol. VII, No. 426. 
FED 
in the houfe of peers, where, in the fird parliament of 
queen Elizabeth’s reign, he fat as a mitred abbot in the 
lowed place on the bidiop’s form. He fpoke and pro- 
teded with great fpirit and freedom ; for which he was 
committed to the Towpr, in 1560, where lie continued 
until 1563, when he was removed into the cudody of 
Dr. Horne, bifhop of Wincheder. He was at length 
brought to acknowledge the queen’s fupremacy in eccle- 
fiadical caufes; but to the doctrinal articles of the ca¬ 
tholic religion he inflexibly adhered. He was therefore 
committed prifoner to the cadle of Wifbeach, where he 
fpent the remainder of his days, and died in 1383. Upon 
this religious controverfy, his writings are numerous. 
FE'CULENCE, or Feculency, /. [ faculentia , Lat.] 
Muddinefs; quality of abounding with lees or fediment. 
Lees; feces ; fediment; dregs.—Pour upon it fome very 
ftrong lee, to facilitate the feparation of its feculencics. Boyle. 
FE’CULENT, adj. [f&culentus, Lat. feculent , Fr.J 
Foul ; dreggy ; excrementitious.—They are to the body 
as the light of a candle to the grofs and feculent fnufF, 
which as it is not pent up in it, fo neither doth it partake 
of its impurity. Glanville. 
FE'CUND, adj, [' facundus , Lat. fecond, Fr.J Fruitful; 
prolific.—-The more fickly the years are, the lefs fecund or 
fruitful of children alfo they be. Graunt. 
FECUNDA'TION, f. ifecundo , Lat.] The aft of 
making fruitful or prolific.—She requeded thefe plants as 
a medicine of fecundation , or to make her fruitful. Brown,, 
To FECUN'DIFY, v. a. To make fruitful; to make- 
prolific. 
FECUN'DITY, /. [fecondite, Fr.] Fruitfulnefs; qua¬ 
lity of producing or bringing forth in great abundance.— 
I appeal to the animal and vegetable produftions of the 
earth, the vad numbers whereof notorioufly tedify the 
extreme luxuriance and fecundity of it. Woodiuard. —Power 
of producing or bringing forth.—Some of the ancients 
mention fome feeds that retain their fecundity forty years; 
and I have found that melon-feeds, after thirty years, are 
bed for raifing of melons. Ray. 
Fecundity, in fculpture and painting, is reprefented 
by a young and beautiful female, crowned with a garland 
of hemp, holding a nelt of goldfinches; at her feet rab¬ 
bits and chickens. 
FED, preterite and partkiple pajf. of to feed; 
For on the grally verdure as he lay, 
And breath’d the fredinefs of the early day. 
Devouring dogs the helplefs infant tore, 
Fed on his trembling limbs., and lapp’d the gore. Pope „ 
FED'ALA, a fea-port of Africa, in Morocco, on a 
bay of the Atlantic. The emperor, in 1773, brought out 
fome corn from his magazines, which was fold to mer¬ 
chants on condition of building houfes, in confequence of 
which the town was begun; but when the corn was all 
fold, tire buildings were difeontinued: twenty miles fouth 
ofMenfooria." 
FE'DARY, f. [ feedus , Lat. or from feudum.'} This 
word, peculiar to Shakefpeare, may fignify either a confe¬ 
derate ; a partner ; or a dependent: 
Damn’d paper! 
Black as the ink that’s on thee, fenfelefs bauble! 
Art thou a fedary for this aft, and lookefi: 
So virgin-like without? Cymbeline. 
FE'DER SEE, a lake of Germany, in the circle of 
Swabia, about twelve miles in circumference; which has 
communication with the Danube, by a river called Kvant- 
zach : the lake is a little to the eaft of Bucliau. 
FED'ERAL, adj. [j'oedus, Lat.] Relating to a league 
or contraft.—The Romans compelled them, contrary to 
all federal right and jufiice, both to part with Sardinia, 
their lawful territory, and alfo to pay them for the future 
a double tribute. Grew. 
FED'ERARY, f. I feedus, Lat.] A confederate ; an 
accomplice; 
4 D She’s 
