Probably also he had an early connection with the church at Lincoln, inasmuch as twenty years after his uncle's death, under the episcopate of Bishop Lumley, he was chosen to be dean (1451).
[4] Lincoln Cathedral was then in a most disturbed state from the long and bitter struggle which had been carried on between the late dean, John Mackworth, and the bishop, William Alnwick.
Doubtless the disputes between the episcopal and decanal powers still continued, and this may have induced Flemming to leave his cathedral and become a resident in Italy.
At Ferrara he became the pupil of Baptista Guarino, professor of Greek and Latin, and attended his lectures for a considerable period.
In summer, during the hot season, it was his custom to retreat to Tivoli, and here he composed his poems, written in heroic metre and dedicated to the pope.
‘Carmina diversi generis.’ In addition to these Flemming is said to have compiled a dictionary of the Greek and Latin tongues, but whether this was written during his sojourn in Italy or after his return to England does not appear.