Franks, Conversion of. See Ciilodwig ; Fr.vnce.
Franz, or Franzius, Wolfgang, a Lutheran theologian, was born at I'lauen, 15G4. He became professor of history, and afterwards of theology, at Wittenberg, where he died Oct. 20, 1628. Among his voluminous writings are Animaliitm hlstoria Sacra (best ed. Frankfort, 1712, 4 vols. 4to) : — Tractatus the- olog'icus (le interprefn/ione S.S. (Wittenb. 2d edit. 1708, 4to) : — Schola sacrijiciorimi j)atriarchaUum sacra, as- serting the orthodo-K doctrine of the atonement against the Socinians (Wittenb. 1054, 4to, and often).
Fra Paolo. See Sarpi.
Fraser, Alexander, minister of Kirkhill, Scot- IIL— T T
land, wrote Key to Prophecies not yet accomplished (Ed- inburgh, 1795, 8vo), described by Orme (^Bihl. Bib.') as " a work of some merit," containing "rules for the ar- rangement of the unfulfilled propliecies, observations on their dates, and a general view of the events fore- told in them ;" also Commentary on Isaiah (1800, 8vo). — AUibone, Dictionary oj" Authors, s. v. (J. W. M.)
Fraser, James, a minister of the Church of Scot- land, born about 1700, and died 17G9, was the author of The Scnpture Doctrine of Sanctijication (Edinburgh, 1774, 12mo), of which several editions have appeared, the last an abridgment (London, Tract Society, 1849, 18mo). This worlc was edited hy Dr. Erskine, and is highly praised by Orme {Bibl. Bib.). — AUibone, Dic- tionary of Authors, s. v. (J. W. M.)
Frassen, Claude, a Franciscan monk, was born in Picardy in 1620. He was doctor of the Sorbonne, the- ological professor at Paris, and superior of tlie Fran- ciscan convent there. He wrote Dissertationes Biblicoe (Paris, 1682, 2 vols. 4to): — Cou7-s de Philosophie (Paris, 1668, 2 vols. 4to) -.—Cours de Theologie (Paris, 1672, 4 vols, fol.) ; reprinted, with additions Iw the author, in Latin, as Scotus Academicus sen universa doctor is sub- tilis theoloqica doqmata (Venice, 12 vols. 4to). He died in Paris, Feb. 26^, 1711.
Frater, the Latin word for brother. See Broth- er.
Fraternity (confratemitas, sodalifas), the name of associations in the Roman Catholic Church whicli pursue special religious and ecclesiastical purposes, observe corresponding statutes and religious exercises, and are endowed with indulgences, and sometimes with other privileges. Among the purposes to which fraternities are devoted are the nursing of the sick, support of the poor, the practice of a special devotion to some part of the Roman Catholic worship, the ven- eration of a particular saint, etc. In the earlier times of the Christian Church, as all Roman Catholic writers admit, there is no trace of fraternities. The first ref- erence to them is found in an order of bishop Odo, of Paris (died 1208), providing for the annual meeting of a Marianic fraternity'. In the 12th century the fraternity of Bridge Brethren (q. v.) arose at Avignon. Among the oldest associations of this class belongs also the fraternity of the Gonfalonieri, who were con- firmed by pope Clement IV. In the 17th and 18th centuries the "Marianic Congregations" spread wide- ly, especially in Southern Germany, and in connection with the order of Jesuits. Among the other most noted associations were that of the Scapulary (q. v.). Rosary (q. v.), and Corpus Christi. The popes Clement VIII, Paul V, Benedict XIII, and Benedict XIV issued several constitutions and decrees concern- ing fraternities. All the fraternities of the Church are subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop and his right of visitation. No fraternity can be erected in a diocese without the consent of the bisWop, who has the right of examining, sanctioning, and, whenever he chooses, altering their statutes. Among the fraterni- ties of modern origin, none has extended so widely as the "Fraternity of the most Hoi}' and Immaculate Heart of Mary for the Conversion of Sinners," which was founded in 1837 by the abbe Dufriche Desge- nettes in Paris. Among the many religious societies which have been of late established by the High- Church school in the Anglican Church are many which assume tlie name " Brotlierhood" or " Confraternit}'." The " Kalendar for the English Church" for the year 1809 mentions all societies of this kind then in exist- ence in England, among them the " Guild of St. Alban the Martyr," all the ])ranchcs of which call themselves l)rothcrhood or sisterhood ; tlie '' Confraternity of the most Holy Trinity ;" the " Confraternity of the Bless- ed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ ;" tho " Brotherhood of St. Luke the Physician and Evan^ gelist." — Allgemeine Real-Encyklop. iii, 134 (s. v. Brw
FRATRES
658
FREDERIKS
dersch'jftcn) ; Kalendar for the English Church for 1869 (London, 1«G9, p. 198-211). (A. J. S.)
Fratres, plural otfruter. See Brethren.
Pratricelli, Fraticelli, or Pratelli, a low Lat- in or Italian diminutive, denoting y>Y(^/-es minores, lit- tle brothers. The term has been applied to so man}' different sects that its use in writers of the Middle Ago is confusing. It was first applied to a sect of Franciscans which arose in Itah' about the year 1294. It was used as a term of derision, as the greater num- ber of them were apostate monks; and for this reason it was sometimes given to other sects, as the Cathar- ists, Waldenses. etc. When this name was applied to the more rigid of the Franciscans, it was deemed hon- orable. As there were manj' divisions among the Franciscans (q. v.), pope Ccelestin V authorized Pet. de Macerata and Fet. de Scmproiiio to form a new order, who were called Paiiperes eremiii Dam. Calestini, and who obtained permission to live in solitude, as hermits, and to observe the rule of St. Francis in all its rigor. Many of the more ascetic and extravagant monks join- ed them, who, living according to their own fancies, and making all perfection consist in poverty, and op- posed bj- the regular Franciscans, were condemned by Boniface VIII (13(i2), and the inquisitors were ordered by John XXII (1318) to pi-oceed against them as her- etics, which commission the}' executed with tlije ut- most barbarity. After this, manj' of them adopted the views of Peter John Oliva de Serignan, published in his commentary. See Oliva. They held the Eoman Church to be Babylon ; that the rule of St. Francis was observed by Jesus Christ and his apostles. Thej' foretold the reformation of the Church, and the res- toration of the true Gospel of Christ. They affirmed that St. Francis was the angel mentioned in Rev. xiv, G ; thr.t the Gospel was to be abrogated in 12C0, and to give place to a new Gospel, a book published under the name of the abbot Joachim; that the ministers of this refonnation were to be barefooted friars. Thej' ■were repeatedly condemned ; and from authentic rec- ords it appears that no fewer than two thousand per- sons were burnt by the Inquisition from 1318 to the time of Innocent VI. These severities were repeated by pope Nicholas V and his successors ; nevertheless, they maintained themselves down to the loth centurj'. ■ — Herzog, Real-EnajMop. iv, 562 ; Mosheim, Ch. Hist. cent, xiii, pt. ii, chap, ii, § 39, notes 86, 87 ; Hase, Ch. Hist. ^ 2Go; Limhorch, History of the Inquisition. See Everlasting Gospel; Franciscans.