Franks, or Franquis,** an appellation given by the Turks, and other nations of Asia, to all the people of the western parts of Europe, to which they give the name of Frankistan.
Frank, or French, primarily denotes a Frenchman; and, by extension, an European, because, according to some, the French distinguished themselves above the other nations engaged in the holy war *. But Fa. Goar, in his notes on Codinus, cap. v. n. 43, furnishes another origin of the appellation Frank, of greater antiquity than the former.—He observes, that the Greeks at first confined the name to the Fracti, i.e. the German nations, who had settled themselves in France or Gaul: but afterwards they gave the same name to the Apulians and Calabrians, after they had been conquered by the Normans; and at length the name was further extended to all the Latins. In this sense, is the word used by divers Greek writers; as Commenius, &c. who, to distinguish the French, call them the western Franks.
Du Cange adds, that about the time of Charlemagne, they distinguished—eastern France; western France; Latin, or Roman, France; and German France, which was the ancient France, afterwards called Franconia.
**FRASCATI,** a handsome town of Italy, seated near the same spot with the Tusculum of Cicero. Here are a great number of magnificent palaces and delightful gardens. E. Long. 11. 43. N. Lat. 41. 48.
**FRATERNITY,** in the Roman Catholic countries, signifies a society for the improvement of devotion.
Of these there are several sorts; as, 1. The fraternity of the rosary, founded by St Dominic. It is divided into two branches, called the common rosary, and the perpetual rosary; the former of whom are obliged to confess and communicate every first Sunday in the month, and the latter to repeat the rosary continually. See ROSARY.
2. The fraternity of the scapulary, whom the blessed Virgin, according to the sabbatin bull of pope John XXII. has promised to deliver out of hell the first Sunday after their death. See SCAPULARY.
3. The fraternity of St Francis's girdle, are clothed with a sack of a grey colour, which they tie with a cord; and, in processions, walk bare-footed, carrying in their hands a wooden cross.
4. That of St Austin's leathern girdle, comprehends a great many devotees.
Italy, Spain, and Portugal, are the countries where one sees the greatest number of these fraternities, some of which assume the name of arch-fraternities. Pope Clement VII. instituted the arch-fraternity of charity, which distributes bread every Sunday among the poor, and gives portions to 40 poor girls on the feast of St Jerome their patron. The fraternity of death, buries such dead as are abandoned by their relations, and causes masses to be celebrated for them.
**FRATRICELLI,** little brothers, in church-history, a sect of heretics who appeared in Italy about the year 1293, and afterwards spread all over Europe. They wore the habit of the Franciscan order, and pretended that ecclesiastics ought to have no possessions of their own.
**FRATRIAGE,** the partition among brothers or coheirs, coming to the same inheritance or succession.
**FRATRES ARVALES.** See ARVALES.
**FRATICIDE,** the crime of murdering one's brother. See PARRICIDE.
**FRAUD,** in law, signifies deceit in grants, or conveyances of lands, &c. or in bargains and sales of goods, &c. to the damage of another person.
A fraudulent conveyance of lands or goods to deceive creditors, as to creditors is void in law. And a fraudulent conveyance in order to defraud purchasers, is also to such purchasers void; and the persons justifying