Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/323

 personifications of some vices and virtues which suggest Milton, who knew Fletcher's works well.

Fletcher's other works are: 1. ‘Locustæ vel Pietas Jesuitica. The Locusts or Apollyonists,’ Cambridge, Thomas & John Bucke, 1627. The first part in Latin verse is dedicated to Sir Roger Townshend, the patron of Phineas's brother Giles, and has commendatory verse by S. Collins. The second part in English verse, in five cantos of nine-line stanzas, is dedicated to Lady Townshend, and has prefatory verse by H. M., perhaps Henry More. Two manuscript copies of the Latin part are in the British Museum. One Harl. MS., 3196, is dedicated in Latin prose to Thomas Murray, provost of Eton (d. 1625), and in Latin verse to Prince Charles. The second manuscript (Sloane MS. 444) is dedicated to Montague, bishop of Bath and Wells. The poem is a sustained attack on Roman catholicism, and the English version suggested many phrases to Milton. 2. ‘Sicelides, or Piscatory, as it hath been acted in King's Colledge in Cambridge,’ London, 1631. The piece is in five acts, partly in blank, and partly in rhymed verse. Songs are interspersed, and there are comic scenes in prose. 3. ‘The Way to Blessedness; a treatise … on the First Psalm,’ with the text, London, 1632 (prose). 4. ‘Joy in Tribulation; a Consolation for afflicted Spirits,’ London, 1632 (prose). 5. ‘Sylva Poetica Auctore P. F.,’ Cambridge, 1633; a collection of Latin poems and eclogues; dedicated to Edward Benlowes. 6. ‘A Father's Testament, written long since for the benefit of a particular relation of the Author,’ London, 1670 (prose, with some verse, chiefly translations from Boethius). Fletcher also edited a previously unpublished Latin poem by his father, entitled ‘De Literis Antiquæ Britanniæ,’ Cambridge, 1633. He contributed verses to ‘Sorrowe's Joy,’ Cambridge, 1603 (a collection of Cambridge poems in English on the death of Elizabeth and accession of James I); to ‘Threno-Thriambeuticon,’ Cambridge, 1603 (a similar collection in Latin); to his brother Giles's ‘Christ's Victory,’ 1610; and to his friend Benlowes's ‘Theophila,’ 1632. Dr. Grosart has credited Fletcher with the authorship of a love-poem of considerable beauty, and somewhat lascivious tone, entitled ‘Brittain's Ida,’ an account of the loves of Venus and Anchises. This poem was first issued in 1627, and was described as by Edmund Spenser. It is clear that Spenser was not the author. There is much internal resemblance between Fletcher's other works and ‘Brittain's Ida,’ and no other name has been put forward to claim the latter poem. But no more positive statement is possible. Dr. Grosart has collected Fletcher's poetical works in four volumes in his ‘Fuller's Worthies Library.’

[Dr. Grosart's Memoir, in his edition of Fletcher's Poems; Dr. Grosart's Fuller's Worthies Miscellany, iii. 70, where Fletcher's will is printed; Hunter's MS. Chorus Vatum in Addit. MS. 24487, f. 125; Cole's MS. Hist. of King's College, Cambridge (Cole's MSS. xv. 35); Howell's Letters, ii. 64; Retrospective Review, ii. 341; Phillips's Theatrum Poetarum]  FLETCHER, RICHARD, D.D. (d. 1596), bishop of London, was son of a Richard Fletcher, ordained by Ridley in 1550, and vicar of Bishops Stortford till his deprivation by Mary in 1555. In July of the same year he and his son witnessed the martyrdom of Christopher Wade at Dartford in Kent, of which an account signed by both was furnished to Foxe (Acts and Mon. iii. 317, ed. 1684). On the accession of Elizabeth the elder Fletcher became vicar of Cranbrook, Kent. Young Fletcher was appointed by Archbishop Parker to the first of the four Norfolk fellowships founded by him in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; on the college books he is styled ‘Norfolciensis.’ He was admitted a pensioner of Trinity College, Cambridge, 16 Nov. 1562, and a scholar in 1563. He became B.A. in 1565–6, M.A. in 1569, B.D. in 1576, and D.D. in 1581. He was made fellow of Corpus Christi in 1569. In 1572 he was incorporated M.A. of Oxford, and in the same year was appointed to the prebendal stall of Islington in St. Paul's Cathedral. According to Masters (Hist. of Corpus Christi College, pp. 285–8) he received this stall from Matthew Parker, son of the archbishop, who appears to have had the patronage made over to him (for this turn) to carry out his father's design of getting prebendal stalls annexed by act of parliament to his Norfolk fellowships. He vacated his fellowship on his marriage with Elizabeth Holland, which took place in Cranbrook Church in 1573. In 1574 he was minister of Rye in Sussex, where his son [q. v.] the dramatist and three of his elder children were born. He was introduced by Archbishop Parker to Queen Elizabeth, who was attracted by his handsome person, courtly manners, and ability as a preacher.

Sir John Harington says of him ‘he could preach well and speak boldly, and yet keep decorum. He knew what would please the queen, and would adventure on that though that offended others.’ Elizabeth's favour insured rapid preferment. On 19 June 1575 he was presented by the queen to the living