Fletcher of MadeleyMacdonald, Frederic W. (Frederic William)
Religion
Fletcher of Madeley
Macdonald, Frederic W. (Frederic William)
Fletcher, John, 1729-1785
Dæmona ne dubita te certo vincere posse,
Hunc tunc haud dubio Christo auxiliante fugabis.
Ne ruas in vetitum, brevis est et fluxa Libido:
Sperne Voluptatem, dirum ponè linquit acumen.
Crede mihi, Satanæ minimam ne cedito partem;
Fortiter ac subito plagam repelle priorem.
Numinis auxilium precibus rogato benignis.
In cruce pro culpis morientem cernito Jesum.
Coelestes palmas, et Tartara dira memento.
Offert judicium cita mors, hilaremque triumphum.
Viribus indomitis, rigidisque resistito membris
Dæmonis impetibus; Christus hunc _appage_ vicit.
Vivida sit fides, te certa corona manebit.
There is no need either to point out, or to apologize for, the
shortcomings of Fletcher's Latin verses. They are little more than
private memoranda for use in prayer and meditation, written in Latin,
perhaps, as a kind of cipher. The following resolutions are
interesting:
"Hæc Deo juvante facere decerno.
3 edere die. quod ubi primum violaverim, pauperibus b. asses
dandi et venia per horam petenda erit, nullo fulcro utens.
Pueros nunquam ob doctrinam castigare, sub eâdem poenâ.
Precans nunquam jacere, sed stare vel genu flectere."
This may be translated:
These things, God helping me, I determine:
To take food three times a day; for a breach of this rule,
twopence to be given to the poor, and pardon to be implored
for an hour, using no bodily support.
Never to punish the boys for their lessons, under the same
penalty.
Never to lie down while engaged in prayer, but stand or
kneel.
LE BONHEUR DU CHRÉTIEN.
Heureux qui n'a point de désir,
Heureux qui se fait violence,
Qui se prive des vains plaisirs,
Et se plaît dans la dépendance.
Heureux l'homme de bonne foi,
Simple, sage, plein d'innocence,
Qui, toujours sévère pour soi,
Pour son prochain est rempli de clémence.
Heureux qui chérit le silence,
Qui ne parle que utilement,
Et se repose uniquement
Sur la Divine Providence.
Heureux qui connaissant son extrême indigence
L'expose au ciel incessamment,
Et qui de son Dieu seulement
Attend toute son assistance.
Heureux qui n'a rien d'affecté,
Heureux l'homme sans volonté,
Et qui, vide de lui même,
Est tout plein du vrai Dieu qu'il aime.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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