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F16ohier Flesh THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG ism), although Theophanes and Nicephorus, ap parently basing their statements on reliable tra dition, say that before his consecration he was a presbyter and skmophylax in Constantinople. Where he received his education is unknown, nor is his theological position absolutely determined either by the attacks made on him by Dioscurus of Alexandria, which were not necessarily theological in origin, or by his own opposition to Eutyches, which seems to have been inspired by Eusebius of Dorylseum. He was apparently Antiochian in his dogmatics, thus explaining the hostility of Chrysa phius, the Alexandrine favorite of the emperor. Flavian was finally condemned and deposed for his share in the Eutychian controversy by the " Rob ber Synod " of Ephesus in 449 and died shortly afterward. There is no evidence, however, that his death was other than natural, although the Greek Church reckons him a martyr, and celebrates his festival on Feb. 18. (F. Lo°rs.)
BIBLIOa8AP87: Two of Flavisn'e letters again-t Eutychee are printed in the Acts of the Synod of Ephesus. Consult: ASB, Feb., iii. 71-79; DCB, ii. 532; AL, iv. 16421544; Ceillier, Auteura sacrie, vol. x., passim.
FLECHIER, ESPRIT: Bishop of Nimes; b. at Pernes (10 m. n.e. of Avignon), in the county of Avignon, June 10, 1632; d. at Montpellier Feb. 16, 1710. His uncle, the learned monk Hercule Audiffret, educated him from 1648 to 1658 in the college of the Congr6gation des Doctrinaires, of which he was director. After the death of his uncle Fldchier went to Paris and devoted himself to the art of poetry. He attracted some attention by a Latin poem on a grand tournament held by Louis XIV., but the lack of an influential patron forced him to take the position of a teacher in the country. Later he returned to Paris where he was active as pulpit orator and author. He attracted the attention of Louis XIV. and won his permanent favor. He became a rival of Bossuet, but his orations were at times too artificial and lacked great and high thoughts. He won lasting fame only by his funeral orations, that on Marshal Turenne (1676) being his masterpiece. In 1673 he became a member of the Academy, together with Racine. In 1685 he was made bishop of Lavaur, and in 1687
of Nimes. As bishop he was greatly beloved, eve by the Protestants who hid i* his diocese, on accoun of his mildness and great benevolence. Besid his funeral oration on Turenne may be mentioned those on Lamoignon, president of the chamber (1679), on Queen Maria Theresia (1682), on Chan cellor Le Tellier (1686), on Marie Anna, Dauphine of France (1690), and on his friend the Duke of Montausier (1690). He also wrote biographies of the Emperor Theodosius (Paris, 1679) and of Car dinal Ximenes (1693). Inferior in value are twenty-five orations on Advent and eight mission ary and synodical speeches. His (Euvres comylUes were published in ten volumes at Nimes, 1782, and at Paris, 1828. (C. I~MNDXx.)BIHmoGaAPHY: A. Delacroix, Hint. da Plichier, Paris. 1865: Lichtenberger. RSR, iv. 767-773 (elaborate): valuable material is found in the prefaoee to his (Suvras complNes·
FLEET MARRIAGES : The name applied to a class of clandestine and more or less irregular
8$$ n marriages performed by chaplains of the Fleet Prison in London during the seventeenth and first half of the eighteenth centuries. In order to regu late the disorders in regard to marriage which the Reformation had introduced, a law was passed under the Commonwealth (1653) permitting civil marriage before a justice of the peace. At the Restoration the earlier law was reestablished and strictly enforced; but clandestine marriages, avoid ing the regular alternatives of banns or license, were still possible, since there were a number of churches in which on the plea of exemption from episcopal jurisdiction, the law could be disregarded. The Fleet Prison, or the territory legally held to belong to it, was a favorite place for them marriages. Disreputable clergymen here made a trade of marrying all comers, without respect to the ful filment of any necessary conditions, and shameless competition among them led to the greatest lsaity. From 1666 various attempts were made to suppress the evil, but it rather increased, until it was possible for one abandoned man, named John Gayhan, who was technically a prisoner there from 1701 to' 1740, to boast that during that time he had performed 36,000 marriages. Finally in 1753 a bill was introduced into the House ef Lords by Hardwicke, the Lord Chancellor," for the better preventing of clandestine marriages," and became a law on June 6. Its working was not altogether satisfactory in detail, and later enactments, espe cially in 1823, were required to amend it, until a final settlement of all difficulties was made under William IV. in 1834 and 1836. BIBLIOGRAPHY: J. 8. Burn, The Fleet Registers, Comprising the History of Fleet Marriages, London, 1834: H. B. Op penheim, in ZICR, i (1881), 8-9; E. Friedberg, Dw Racht der Rluechiiessunp. aoe-31o, 335-s36, l.eipeio, lass: J. Ashton, Flat River, Prison, and Marriages, London. 1888. FLEETWOOD, JOH1(: The name, probably assumed, under which was issued The Life of . Jesus Christ . . . together with the Lives and Suf_ ferings of his Holy Apostles, Evangelists, and Other Primitive Martyrs (London, 1767 and often), a work which enjoyed great popularity until it was superseded by modern and more scholarly lives of Jesus. Two other volumes, The Christian's Prayer Book or Complete Manual o f Devotions (London, t 1772) and The Christian's Dictionary (1775) are attributed to the same author. FLEETWOOD, WILLIAM: English prelate; b. in London Jan. 1, 1656; d. at Tottenham (6 m. n.n.e. of St. Paul's, London) Aug. 4, 1723. He studied at Eton, and at King's College, Cambridge (B.A., 1679; M.A., 1683; D.D.,1705). Soon after taking orders he won renown by a sermon delivered before King's College, Mar. 25, 1889, in commem oration of Edward VI., the founder of the college. He was given a fellowship at Eton, the chapter rectory of St. Augustine and St. Faith's, London (Nov. 26, 1689), and soon afterward the lecture- ship of St. Dunstan's-in-the-Nest. He held liberal political views and favored the revolution. Shortly after the accession of William and Mary he was appointed chaplain to the king, and in 1702 canon of Windsor. In 1705 he exchanged his London