Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/328

  [Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iv. 559; Hearne's Collections (Oxford Hist. Soc.), i. 291; Le Neve's Fasti; Cat. Oxford Graduates; Burke's Landed Gentry; Brit. Mus. Cat.] 

FLETE, JOHN (fl. 1421–1465), a Benedictine monk, prior of Westminster Abbey in the reign of Henry VI, and the author of a Latin chronicle of the early history of that foundation, entered the monastery of St. Peter's, Westminster, about 1421, ascending step by step the different posts available to the brethren, till in 1448 he was unanimously elected prior. During the suspension of Abbot Norwych, who succeeded Kirton as abbot in 1462, Flete, assisted by two monks, administered the spiritual and temporal affairs of the monastery, and had he lived would probably have been made abbot on the death of Norwych (1469). But in 1465 he resigned the post of prior and seems to have died soon afterwards. He was a pious and learned man, ‘addicted to reading of history, and zealous for the gaining of souls’. His homilies, which are mentioned as ‘notable’ by several writers, are no longer extant, and the only remaining record of him is his manuscript history of the abbey. He began to write it in 1443, and intended to carry it on to that year, but it ends with Abbot Littington's death in 1386, and in all probability Flete's duties as prior and acting-abbot prevented his carrying out his original plan. The first chapters of the ‘Chronicle’ are devoted to the legends of the foundation and dedication of the abbey; these are followed by an account of the benefactors and the relics, and it concludes with the lives of the abbots up till 1386. The book has been much used by later historians of the abbey, but is inexact in many particulars. The original manuscript is in the Chapter Library, Westminster, and there is a later and abridged manuscript copy in Lambeth Library.

[Widmore's Hist. of St. Peter's, Westminster; Tanner's Bibliotheca; Pits, De Illustr. Brit. Script.] 

FLEXMAN, ROGER, D.D. (1708–1795), presbyterian minister, was born on 22 Feb. 1708 at Great Torrington, Devonshire, where his father was a manufacturer. He showed early promise, and at the age of fifteen (1723) was admitted to the academy of John Moore, presbyterian minister at Tiverton, Devonshire, to study for the ministry. He declined an offer from Moore of the post of tutor in the academy, and applied to the Exeter assembly on 7 May 1728 to admit him to examination for license. His application was granted, in spite of his youth, in consideration of his long study, and the ‘great want of ministers.’ On examination he gave full satisfaction to that staunch Calvinist, John Ball (1665?–1745) [q. v.] He was licensed at Tiverton in the course of the summer. According to the records of the Exeter assembly he began his ministry at Great Torrington. He was ordained at Modbury, Devonshire, on 15 July 1730. In 1731 he became minister at Bow, near Crediton, Devonshire, and appears to have assisted Josiah Eveleigh, the presbyterian minister at Crediton. In 1735 he removed to Chard, Somersetshire, and in 1739 to Bradford, Wiltshire. He came to London in 1747, having accepted a call to the presbyterian congregation in Jamaica Row, Rotherhithe. In 1754 he was chosen one of the preachers of the Friday morning lecture, founded in 1726 at Little St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, by William Coward (d. 1738) [q. v.]

Flexman was an assiduous, and for some time a successful, minister at Rotherhithe. In 1770 he received the degree of D.D. from the Marischal College, Aberdeen. Preferment was offered him in the established church. Owing partly to the failure of his health, partly, perhaps, to his adoption of Arian views, his congregation declined, and on his resignation in 1783 became extinct. He retained his lectureship to extreme old age. Heterodox on a main point of theology, Flexman was conservative in his religious philosophy, and in later life exhibited ‘uncommon ardour’ in opposition to materialists and necessarians.

Flexman was remarkable for historical attainments, and especially for his minute and accurate knowledge of the constitutional history of England. His extraordinary memory was invaluable in historical research. His reputation in this respect introduced him to some of the leading politicians of his day, and, having already shown skill as an index-maker, he was appointed (1770) one of the compilers of the general index to the journals of the House of Commons. His plan was adopted by a committee of the house, and the period 1660–97 was assigned to him. He completed his work in four folio volumes (viii–xi.) in 1780; it was his best paid piece of literary work. George Steevens, in conversation with Johnson, happened to mention Flexman's ‘exact memory in chronological matters;’ Johnson impatiently characterised him as ‘the fellow who made the index to my “Ramblers,” and set down the name of Milton thus: Milton, Mr. John.’ Flexman compiled a bibliography appended to his edition of Burnet's ‘Own Time,’