folio volume, published in 1573. Wood's Athen. Oxon. vol. I. Burnet's Hist. Reform. vol. I. book ii. Fox's Acts & Mon. vol. II. an. 1531, &c.-M. FRIZON, PETER, a French ecclesiastic, who flourished in the seventeenth century, was born at some place within the diocese of Rheims. For some time he was a member of the Society of Jesuits, and was employed by them to instruct their pupils in classical learning. Afterwards he officiated as penitentiary in the church of Rheims, and was promoted to a canonry in that cathedral. In the year 1632 he was chosen coadjutor to the grand-master of the college of Navarre, at Paris; and soon succeeded to the station of grand-master himself, which he retained until the year 1635. Being then desirous of a more retired and tranquil life, he resigned his post, and spent the remainder of his days in literary labours. He was admitted to the degree of doctor by the faculty of the Sorbonne. He died in 1650 or 1651. In the year 1621 he published an edition in folio of "The Holy Bible," in French, translated by the divines of the university of Louvain; accompanied with short extracts from the Annals of cardinal Baronius, and directions for distinguishing catholic French Bibles from those of the Hugonots, &c. In 1629 he published a history of the French cardinals, under the title of "Gallia purpurata ;" of which he gave a second edition in 1638, folio, augmented by a History of the Grand Almoners of France. This work was once held in high estimation, until its credit was greatly lessened by M. Baluze's exposure of its numerous incorrectnesses in his "AntiFrizonius," published in 1652, and afterwards in his "History of the Popes of Avignon." M. de Launoi informs us, that he carried on Henry de Sponde's Continuation of the Annals of Baronius, from the year 1622 to the year 1630. He was also the author of the "Life of Henry de Sponde," prefixed to his Continuation of the Ecclesiastical Annals, published at Paris in 1659. Moreri.-M. FROBEN, JOHN, an eminent printer, was a native of Hammelburg in Franconia. He was liberally educated, and acquired much reputation at the university of Basil. As the business of a printer was at that time connected with the profession of letters, Froben was induced to learn it, and to set up a press in the city of Basil. He became not only eminent in the practice of his art, but he supported its dignity and utility by a scrupulous choice in the authors he printed. He would suffer no bellous or immoral writings to issue from his VOL. IV. press, but devoted it to the service of sound and useful learning. Such was his reputation, that the advantage of having his works printed by Froben was the chief inducement to Erasmus for taking up his residence at Basil. That great man became very intimately connected with him, and always testified a high esteem and affection for him. Among the numerous productions of the Frobenian press were the works of Erasmus in nine volumes folio, and also those of St. Jerom and St. Augustine, on which he bestowed his revision. These are reckoned the most correct of Froben's editions. He had an intention of printing the Greek fathers, but was prevented by his death, which happened in 1527. Erasmus, who sincerely lamented him, honoured his memory with a Greek and a Latin epitaph. He himself died in the house of Jerom Froben, son of the former, and his successor in the printing-office jointly with his son-in-law Nicholas Episcopius. They carried into effect the design of printing the Greek fathers. A catalogue of the works printed at this office was published in 1564. Erasmi Epistol. Moreri.-A. FROBISHER, or FORBISHER, sir MARTIN, an eminent navigator, was born near Doncaster in Yorkshire, but of what parentage is not known. He was brought up to the sea, and by much experience and observation acquired great skill in the art of navigation. The discovery of a north-west passage to the Indies was an object which excited his zeal, and during many years he made fruitless endeavours among the merchants to procure the means for an attempt. At length, by application to the ministers and courtiers of queen Elizabeth, he was enabled to fit out a private adventure for this purpose, but his equipment amounted to no more than two barks of twenty-five tons burthen each, and a pinnace of ten tons. With this slender force he sailed from Deptford on June 8, 1576, and on July 28 made the coast of New Greenland, about lat. 62. After some time spent in exploring, Frobisher entered the strait which has ever since borne his name, lat. 62. 50. and sailed up it the length of sixty leagues. This is an inlet on the eastern side of the continent of New Greenland, which terminates somewhat further to the south at Cape Farewel. He had some communication with the natives of this dismal region, and, according to custom, took formal possession of it in the name of his sovereign. He then returned, bringing back with him a piece of black stone, by way of sample of the country. This mineral, which was probably a kind of pyrite, was K K supposed to give tokens of containing gold; and it is asserted, that upon being assayed, it was found to be rich in that metal, No mineralogist will now doubt that the supposition must have originated in fraud or ignorance; however, such were its effects, that the nation thought of nothing but a new Peru or Mexico, and a second voyage was determined upon the next spring. For this purpose, the queen lent Frobisher a ship of the royal navy of two hundred tons, to which he added two small barks. Numbers of volunteers pressed to accompany him, several of them gentlemen of family; and by his restriction to the number of one hundred and forty, many were disappointed. His commission for this voyage directed him only to search for ore, and to remit discovery to another time; whence the character of that spirit of adventure which distinguished this period may be estimated. He sailed in May, 1577, and proceeding to his former strait, explored its coasts and bays, and landed on several islands, where the crews furnished themselves with a quantity of the supposed ore. He returned to England in September with his ships and cargo, which last, upon the examination of commissioners, was judged to promise great riches. And so completely was the delusion kept up, that another expedition was resolved upon for next year, accompanied by miners, refiners, and soldiers to guard the treasure. The adventurers offered to pass a winter in that rigorous climate, and materials were taken out for the construction of a wooden fort and other necessary buildings. Frobisher sailed upon his third voyage in May, 1578; and so much was the public expectation raised, that besides three ships particularly devoted to discovery, twelve more were fitted out for the purpose of being laden with gold ore. In this voyage they traced more of the coasts and islands of Greenland, and discovered a new strait; but meeting with storms, which retarded them and destroyed part of their fort, they agreed to return without leaving any persons to winter. They brought back some ladings of the precious mineral, but it is probable that its true natre was now detected, since we hear of no renewal of these singular expeditions. The original map of Frobisher's voyages, according to Mr. Pennant, is a remarkable sketch of erroneous supposition, He makes his straits reach to the icy sea, opposite to what he calls Cathaya, just to the north of what is made to resemble the new-discovered straits of Bering. Indeed, these voyages seem to be among those that were the least conducive to the improvement of geography; but no at tempts of this kind are entirely useless, as they at least render future ones less erroneous. Our navigator after this time appears only as a gallant naval commander. In 1585 he accompanied sir Francis Drake to the West Indies as captain of the Aid. He had a share of the glorious defence of the country against the Spanish armada in 1588, commanding the Triumph, one of the three largest ships in the English fleet. For his services on this important occasion he received the honour of knighthood. He commanded squadrons against the Spaniards in 1590 and 1592, in the last of which years he took two rich prizes. In 1594. he was sent with four ships of war to the assist-ance of Henry IV. of France against the Spaniards and Leaguers, when, in an attack upon a fort near Brest, he received a shot, of which he died after he had brought his squadron: home. Sir Martin Frobisher is said to have had the roughness and violence which long characterised his profession, but is allowed to have been a brave and able commander. Biog. Britan. Pennant's Introd. to Arctic Zoology.-A. FROELICH, ERASMUS, a learned Jesuit, was born at Gratz in Styria, in 1700. He entered the society in 1716, and became professor of mathematics and the belles-lettres at Vienna. He made use of his situation in that capital to pursue the medallic science, to which he was much attached. He died in 1758. The works of this father are, "Quatuor Tentamina in Re Nummaria," 4to. 1737 and 1750; "Annales Rerum & Regum Syriæ," folio, 1751; "De Figura Telluris," 4to. 1757; and various dissertations on particular medals. Nouv. Dict.. Hist.-A. FROIDMONT, LIBERT (in Latin Fromon IONT, dus), an ecclesiastic of the bishopric of Liege, was born in a country town between that city. and Maestricht, in the year 1587. He taught philosophy in the university of Louvain, and in the year 1633 was preferred to the deanery of St. Peter's, in that city. Afterwards he was. admitted to the degree of doctor of divinity, and, upon the nomination of the celebrated Jansenius to the bishopric of Ypres, was appointed his successor in the chair of interpreter of the Sacred Scriptures in the university. He was well versed in the learned languages, particularly the Greek and Hebrew, and had also made considerable progress in mathematical learning. Des Cartes, with whom he was intimate, entertained much respect for his knowledge in this his favourite branch of study. His writings likewise shew that he had not cultivated the belles-lettres unsuccessfully. He died in 1653, when about sixty-six years of age. He was the author of "Dissertatio de Cometa Anni 1618;" "Meteorologicorum Libri V;" "Brevis Anatomia Hominis;" "Querimonia Jacobi Regis;" Chrysippus, sive de libero Arbitrio," 1644; "In Actus Apostolorum Commentarii ;" a Latin "Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul," in two volumes folio, published in 1670; &c. The work last mentioned is in a considerable degree an abridgment of the Commentary of Estius, and is held in much estimation. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. -M. FROISSART, JOHN, an early French historian and poet, was born at Valenciennes in 1337. It is supposed that his father was a painter of armories, a circumstance which would naturally inspire him with that attachment to heraldry and to the manners of chivalry by which he is distinguished. He is asserted to have commenced a writer of history at the age of twenty; and it cannot be doubted that his poetical talent displayed itself at least as early. In order to divert his chagrin from an amorous disappointment, he paid a visit to England, where he was kindly received by his countrywoman Philippa of Hainault, queen of Edward III. She presented him with the means of appearing again to advantage before his mistress; but he met with a second repulse, and returned to England. He became secretary to queen Philippa in 1361, and continued five years in her service. During that period he visited Scotland, and was entertained for some time by William earl of Douglas. He was in Gascony in 1366 with Edward the Black Prince; and afterwards visited several of the Italian courts. In 1369 he lost his kind patroness Philippa, and retiring to his own country, obtained the benefice of Lestines, in the diocese of Cambray. Froissart, however, was not of a disposition to devote himself to the cure of souls; and besides, the composition of his history, which he seems never to have lost sight of, obliged him to travel in quest of that in formation which was then to be obtained only from living narrators. He entered into the service of the duke of Brabant, who was a poet as well as himself. From the compositions of his master, joined with some of his own, he formed a kind of romance, entitled "Melia dor," and relating to love and chivalry. After the duke's death, in 1384, he acquired the patronage of Guy earl of Blois. He then travel led to the brilliant court of Gaston earl of Foix, who received him with great cordiality, and listened with interest to the recital of his poems. Here he met with much useful information from some knights of Arragon and England in the retinue of the duke of Lancaster. After some other travels in France and the Low. countries, he returned home, and finished the third book of his history. He paid another visit to England in 1395, and was introduced to the young king Richard II., to whom he presented a splendid copy of his Meliador, which was graciously received. Here he ob tained fresh materials for his history, besides other favours. He returned thence to his own country, and appears thenceforth to have fixed his residence at Chimay, where he possessed the benefice of canon and treasurer of the collegiate church. The year of his death is uncertain, but he must have lived beyond 1400, as his Chronicle extends to that date. Though Froissart was the author of thirty thousand verses, his poetical character is sunk into oblivion, and he is only known to readers as an historian. In this capacity, as writing of his own times, and with all the artlessness and minuteness of narration belonging to his age, he is highly valued by those who study ancient manners from original draughts. His Chronicle, divided into four books, comprehends the period from 1326 to 1400. It relates the events which took place not only in France, but in Flanders, England, Scotland, and Ireland, with many details respecting the papal courts of Rome and Avignon, and collateral particulars of the transactions in the rest of Europe, and even in Turkey and Africa. He is in general reckoned to have been a faithful narrator of what he saw and heard, though by his disposition something inclined to the romantic. The French writers have charged him with partiality in favour of the English by whom he was caressed; but they do not seem to have made good the accusation. The best edition of his chronicle is that of Lyons, four volumes folio, 1559. M. de la Curne de St. Palaye has given some curious and instructive memoirs relative to Froissart's life and writings in the Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions, from which the preceding account is chiefly taken. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Hayley's Ess. on History.-A. FROMAGE, PETER, a French Jesuit, distinguished by his exertions among the catholic missionaries in the East, was born at Laon, in the year 1678. He commenced his noviciate at Nancy in 1693; and on account of his sub sequent proficiency was selected by his supe riors to preside over the classical studies of their younger pupils. When he had completed his course of theology, he offered his services as a 1714, as we have already seen in the article relating to that ecclesiastic; and the rest in the succeeding volumes of the same collection, Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. missionary to the Levant; and being approved of, was first sent into Egypt, where he spent some years in acquiring a knowledge of the Arabic language, and in different employments to which he was appointed. Afterwards he was sent into Syria, where he spent the remain der of his life. For several years he held the post of superior of the missions, but continued at the same time to share in the most laborious duties of his subordinate brethren. He there formed the plan, which, by his perseverance, was carried into execution, of establishing a printing-press for the Arabic language, in the monastery of St. John the Baptist near Antura, a village in the chain of mountains distinguished by the name of Antilibanus. Having procured the proper types from Rome, and the necessary workmen, he printed in Arabic a great number of theological and devotional pieces, which were dispersed among the inhabitants of the country. They were chiefly translations from European works, and are particularised in the authority referred to at the end of this article. Father Fromage was present at a synod of the Maronites held in the year 1736, and pronounced a discourse at its opening, which is published, together with his account of the proceedings of the synod, in the eighth volume of the "New Memoirs of the Missions of the Society of Jesus in the Levant," 12mo. 1745. He died in 1740, when in his sixty-third year. Moreri.-M. FROMAGEÁU, GERMAIN, a French ecclesiastic, and esteemed casuist, was a native of Paris, and admitted into the house and society of the Sorbonne in the year 1661. In 1664 he was created a doctor of that faculty. He has the character of having been a learned and able divine, and particularly famous for his knowledge of casuistical divinity. On this account he was looked up to as the proper successor of Mr. Delamet, for resolving difficult cases of conscience; and to his determination the clergy frequently had recourse on nice points relative to ecclesiastical discipline. He was repeatedly offered dignities in the church by different prelates; but he constantly refused them, as he had inherited from his father a fortune equal to his utmost wishes. His benevolence and humanity he shewed not only by numerous acts of charity, but by submitting for some years to the painful office of visiting, and preparing for their last moments, persons who were convicted of capital crimes. He died at the Sorbonne in the year 1705. He left behind him resolutions of numerous cases of conscience, some of which were published in the same volume with those of Mr. Delamet, which appeared in the year FRONTEAU, JOHN, canon regular of St. Genevieve, and chancellor of the university of Paris, was born at Angers in the year 1614. His early education he received under a parish priest in the neighbourhood of Angers, by whose instructions he profited so well, that before he was thirteen years of age he could readily translate his native language extempore into Latin or Greek. Afterwards he studied for three years in the college of the fathers of the Oratory at Angers, whence he was removed to the college of La Flêche, where he went through his course of philosophy. In the year 1631 he took the habit of a canon-regular in the house of All Saints at Angers. After he had finished his theological studies he was called by the superior-general of the congregation to Paris, where he was appointed to teach philosophy at St. Genevieve. In the year 1639 he was appointed professor of divinity, which he taught for twelve years with distinguished reputation. He adhered to the principles of Aquinas both in his theology and in his philosophy. In the year 1648, father Fronteau was appointed chancellor of the university of Paris; and in the year 1654 he was presented to the priory of Benay, in the diocese of Angers. Some time after this he incurred the displeasure of the court, in consequence of being suspected of favouring the defenders of Jansenius, and, in the year 1661, when on a visit to his priory, received through the father-general the king's command to remain there till it should be his majesty's pleasure to recal him. Having afterwards, however, delivered in such declarations as were satisfactory, and expressed his readiness to sign the formulary, he was permitted to return to Paris in the year 1662. During the same year he was nominated by the archbishop of Sens prior-curate of the priory of St. Magdalen of Montargis, where he died not many days after he had taken possession of his benefice, when he was only in the forty-eighth year of his age. Du Pin says of him, that "he had enriched and set off a very large stock of ecclesiastical and profane learning, with a natural and lively eloquence. He preached and spoke easily, agreeably, and successfully. He gained a great reputation by the panegyrics which he pronounced in bestowing the degree of M.A. in the acts of the university; a function which he exercised for fifteen years. Be sides the Latin and Greek, he was master of the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, Italian, and Spanish, languages. He kept up a large correspondence, not only with the learned, but also with the greatest persons in the kingdom, and particularly with the most considerable men of the robe, who honoured him with their friendship. In his works he knew how to adorn his profane reading by the ecclesiastic; and always enlivened his subject with some passages of the fathers, and out of Greek and Latin authors, or with some curious historical notices. He never attached himself so closely to any subject as to handle it thoroughly, but was always making discoveries, starting conjectures, forming new ideas, and giving his subject a turn altogether uncommon." Among other works which he published was an edition of "The Philosophy of Alamandus, with a Supplement;" "Quæstionum de Prædestinatione & Gratia Concordia," intended to reconcile the Jansenists and Jesuits; "Antitheses Augustini & Calvini," comparing the passages of St. Augustine and Calvin on the subject of grace; and "De Diebus Festivis," folio, 1652, being an ancient calendar of the Roman church, illustrated with a learned preface and notes, and accompanied with dissertations. After the author's death a collection of his select letters was published at Liege, in 1677, 12mo. in which, besides particular points of doctrine and discipline, some very curious questions in ecclesiastical antiquities are discussed. The reader may find an enumeration of the subjects of them in Dupin and Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M. FRONTINUS, SEXTUS-JULIUS, an eminent Roman, was city-prætor under Vespasian, A.D. 70. He was afterwards consul, but probably only suffectus, or supplementary, since his name does not appear in the consular series. He succeeded Cerialis as commander in Britain, where he distinguished his military talents, and reduced the nation of Silures. Únder Nerva he was appointed to the superintendance of the waters, and he brought the water of the Anio to Rome by means of a splendid aqueduct. He wrote two books on the construction of these works by that emperor's order. Frontinus is mentioned with honour by several writers, particularly by the younger Pliny, who succeeded him in the dignity of augur. When he died, he forbade the erection of a monument to his memory, saying that it was a superfluous expence, for that his name would survive, if by his actions he had merited it. Besides the work upon aqueducts above mentioned, he wrote a work upon "Military Stratagems," still extant. A work upon agriculture, under the name of Frontinus, was most probably composed by a later writer. The works of Frontinus "De Aquæductibus"and" Stratagemata" were edited with the notes of Steweckius, L. Bat. 1607, 4to. The Stratagemata are printed with the "Autores de Re Militari," Rom. 1487, and have also been edited separately. The best edition is the Variorum, L. Bat. 1731 and 1779, 8vo. 8vo. Taciti Agricol. Vossii Hist. Lat. raboschi.-A. Ti FRONTO, MARCUS-CORNELIUS, an eminent Roman orator, appears to have attained the highest rank in his profession in the age when he lived. He was master of rhetoric to Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, and was rewarded for his services with the honours of the consulate and a statue. A. Gellius speaks of him as a person replete with erudition, and particularly skilled in the delicacies of the Latin language. His reputation for eloquence was so high, that he is mentioned as one of the heads of a sect among orators; and Macrobius calls the kind in which he excelled the dry (siccum), which others more favourably characterise as the grave and weighty. No relics of his compositions are left. He is to be distinguished from Fronto, the consul under Nerva. Bayle. Tiraboschi.-A. FRUGONI, CARLO-INNOCENZO, a celebrated modern Italian poet, was born of a noble family at Genoa in 1692. He was one of those sacrifices so frequent among the younger children of the Italian nobility, and at the age of sixteen was persuaded, much against his inclination, to take the monastic vows in the congregation of Sommaschi. "I was," says he, " ready to die with chagrin and indignation, in a condition not made for me"--a situation, doubtless, too common among these "captives of the cloyster," as he terms them. He taught classical literature with success for some years in several of the cities of Italy; and at length, at the age of thirty-five, through the interest of cardinal Bentivoglio, he was liberated from his vows by pope Clement XII., retaining only the secular priesthood. At this time he had obtained the patronage of the house of Farnese, who gave him an honourable asylum in Parma. When the duke established in that capital an academy for the fine arts, Frugoni was employed to draw up its statutes, and was made its perpetual secretary. To this office were joined those of court-poet and inspector of theatrical exhibitions; and pensions and honours were liberally bestowed upon him. His poetical compositions spread his fame throughout Italy; and he preserved the fire and vivacity of his genius to an |