F L E 
j 
F L E 
'nangman. This aft of fpite the good bifhop rightly con¬ 
sidered to be unintentionally a compliment. “ The fire 
(faid he) is a conclufive, but not a convincing argument : 
it will certainly deftroy any book, but it refutes none!’' In 
1713, bifhop Fleetwood puhlifhed The Life and Miracles 
of St. Wejiefrede, together with her Litanies, with fonte 
biftorical Obfervations made thereon, 8vo. This he was 
induced to undertake, to expofe the popifh legend of 
this pretended faint, and to counteraft the artifices of the 
Romifli emilfaries. After the acceffion of the houfe of Ha¬ 
nover to the Britith throne, the earlieft opportunity was em¬ 
braced of (hewing the refpeft which that family entertain¬ 
ed for the virtues of this excellent prelate, and of reward¬ 
ing his fervices in the caufe of liberty and the proteftant 
religion. Upon the death of Dr. Moore, billiop of El v, 
in 1714, he was tranflated to that valuable fee. This 
new dignity ferved only as a fpur to him, to be more dili¬ 
gent, if poffible, than before, in the difeharge of the 
duties of his epifcopal function, in fervices of beneficence 
and humanity, and in difieminating by different publica¬ 
tions ufeful knowledge and liberal opinions. Thus en¬ 
gaged in the interefis of civil and religious liberty, he 
approved himfelf a-bright example of innocence of life, 
integrity of heart, and fanbfity of manners, to the very 
hour of his death, which happened at Tottenham in 
Middlefex, in 1723, in the fixty-feventh year of his age. 
FLEIS'BACH, a river of Germany, which runs into 
the Molle, three miles north-wed of Dorlach, in the 
archbifhopric of Saltzburg. 
FLEK, a river of Ireland, which rifes in Sliebhlogher 
Mountains, in the county of Kerry, and lofes itfelf in Lough 
Lane. 
FLEM'ING (Robert), a Scotch prelbyterian divine, 
born at Bathens, in 1630, the feat of the earl of Twee- 
dale, to whom his family was allied. He received his 
education in the univerfity of Edinburgh, where lie 
made no inconliderable proficiency in the learned lan¬ 
guages. Before he was twenty-three years of age he was 
invited to take upon him the paftoral charge at Cambuf- 
lang in Clydfdale, where for fome years he officiated with 
peculiar reputation. When, in 1662, an aft had paffied 
for reftcring epifcopacy in Scotland, and it was deter¬ 
mined to ejeft all thofe minifters from their livings who 
would not conform, Mr. Fleming was one of thofe, nearly 
four hundred in all, whofe confciences obliged them to 
„relinquiffi their fituations. Some time after his ejeft- 
ment, he was committed prifoner to the Tolbooth in 
Edinburgh. It was not long, however, before he obtain¬ 
ed his enlargement, when he withdrew with his family 
into Holland. In that country, upon a vacancy taking 
place in the Scotch church at Rotterdam, he was invited 
to refume his paftoral labours, and continued them'with 
equal diligence and fuccefs until his death in 1694, in the 
fixty-fourih year of his age. The mod noted of his 
works are, 1. Scripture Truth cleared and confirmed, &c. 
121110. 2. The confirming Work of Religion, 121110. 1685. 
3. An Epiftolary Difcourfe on the great Afliftance to 
Cliriftian Faith, rntno. 1692. 4. The Fulfilling of the 
Scriptures, 2 vols. 8vo. 
FLEM'ING (Robert), foil of the preceding, and of the 
fame communion, was born in Scotland, and educated in the 
univerfities of Leyden and Utrecht, where he profecuted his 
(Indies with great affiduity and fuccefs. Hisfit ft fettlement 
in the paftoral conneftion was with the Englifh church at 
Leyden, whence he removed to become minifter of the 
Scotch church at Amfterdam. Some years after he was per- 
fuaded to remove to England, and to accept of the office 
of paftor to the Scotch church, in Lothbury, in the city of 
London. In this (ituation he fixed, and was chofen one 
of the preachers of the Tuefday lecture at Salter’s-hall. 
His mind was richly furnifhed with folid and ornamental 
learning ; and from his early years he was eminently pious 
and devout. He died in 1716, and was the author of 1. 
The Hiftory of hereditary Right, 8vo. written in oppo- 
fition to the principles of the tories and jacobites. 2. A 
VOL. VII. No. 440, 
practical Treatlfe occafioned by the Death of King Wil¬ 
liam, accompanied with a Poetical Eftay on his Memory, 
8 vo. 3. ©EGKPATIA,' or the. Divine Government of 
Nations, &c. 4. Chi iftology, a Difcourfe concerning 
Chrift, &c. 3 vols. 8vo. 1705. 5. Difcourfes on fever.d 
Subjects, Svo. 1701. The firft difcourfe in the volume 
Lift mentioned is on the rife and fall of popery, and at¬ 
tracted much notice a few years ago, on account of the 
Unking coincidence between the author’s interpretation of 
the fourth vial in the book of Revelation, and the events 
which took place during the earlier periods of the French 
revolution. 
FLEM'ING (Caleb), a learned Englifli non-conformift 
divine, born at Nottingham, in 1698. He very early difeo- 
vered an uncommon talle for literature, which his parent- 
encouraged by placing him under proper matters to in- 
ftruft him in clailical, as well as other branches of learn¬ 
ing. He appears to have entertained from early youth an 
inclination to the minifterial profefiion ; and his abilities 
and acquirements had attrafted the notice of the late Dr. 
Thomas, bifhop of Winchefter, who was delirous. of 
making provifion for him in the eftablithed church. But 
as lie entertained confcientious fcruples againft complying 
with the terms of conformity, he was obliged to decline 
the propofals of this friendly patron. Not long afterwards 
lie commenced his pulpit labours, and was chofen paftor 
of a congregation in Bartholomew-clofe, London. In 
1752, on the declining health of the celebrated Dr. James 
Fofter, lie w-as chofen affiftant to him as morning preacher 
at Pinner’s-hall. On the death of the doftor, he was 
chofen to fucceed him in the paftoral office, the duties of 
which lie difeharged, with exemplary diligence, until he 
became incapacitated for public fervice by the infirmities 
of advanced age. He died in 1779, aged 81 ; havingbeen 
honoured, before his death, with the title of doftor in 
divinity by one of our northern univerfities. He was the 
author of numerous controverfial publications, chiefly 
pamphlets, fome of them on very interefting fubjefts re¬ 
lating to the caufe of Cliriftianity, and of civil and reli¬ 
gious liberty ; which, notwithftanding an occafionai 
quaintnefs in their titles, defervedly met with the appro¬ 
bation of not a few perfons of great judgment and learning. 
FLEM'INGTON, a port town of the American States, 
in New Jerfey, Hunterdon county, fix miles north-eaft of 
Atnwell, on Delaware river, twenty-three north-nortli- 
vveft of Trenton, nine fouth of Pittftovvn, and fifty-three 
liortli-eaft by north of Philadelphia. 
FLEM'ISH, adj. belonging orrelating to the Flemings, 
or people of Flanders; which fee. 
FLEM'MING, or F lemmynge (Richard), an Englifli 
prelate of great eminence, founder of Lincoln.college, Ox¬ 
ford, born at Crofton, in the county of York. He was lent 
to Univerfity-college, Oxford, where he rapidly improved 
himfelf in logic and philofophy. In 1406, he was collated 
to a prebend in the cathedral church of York ; and in 
the next year had the honour of being one of the proc¬ 
tors of the univerfity. By his learning and abilities he 
acquired the efteem of Henry V. and was promoted by 
that prince to the bifiiopricof Lincoln, in 1420. He was 
fent deputy to the council of Conftance, or Siena, where 
he obtained great applaufe by an eloquent fpeech which 
he delivered in the prefence of pope Martin V. in vindi¬ 
cation of his country againft the calumnies and afperfions 
of the French, Spanifti, and Scottilh, deputies. Upon his 
return home, the fee of York falling vacant, the pope, by 
his own abfolute authority, tranflated Dr. Flemming to 
that archbifhopric. But king Henry oppofed this tranfla- 
tion, and Dr. Flemming returned to Lincoln again. In 
1427, he fet about the ereftion of Lincoln-college ; but 
he died at Sleaford in 1430-3 r, before he had made any 
confiderable progrefs in it, leaving, liow'ever, fufficient 
effefts in the hands of truftees to complete tire benevolent 
undertaking. He does not appear to have left behind 
him any writings, excepting the fpeeches delivered in tire 
council to which he was delegated, which are now loft. 
5 Z FLEW, 
