Charles, an eminent Frenchman, famous for his skill and knowledge in the military art, was born at Avignon in 1669, of a noble family, but not a rich one. He discovered an early turn for the sciences, and a strong passion for arms; which last was so inflamed by reading Caesar's Commentaries, that he enlisted at 16 years of age. His father got him off, and shut him in a monastery; but he made his escape in about two years after, and entered himself a second time in quality of cadet. His inclination for military affairs, and the great pains he took to accomplish himself in that way, recommended him to notice; and he was admitted into the friendship of the first-rate officers. M. de Vendome, who commanded in Italy in 1702, made him his aide-de-camp, having conceived the highest regard for him: and soon after sent him with part of his forces into Lombardy. He was entirely trusted by the commander of that army; and no measures were concerted, or steps taken, without consulting him. By pursuing his plans, many places were taken, and advantages gained; and such, in short, were his services, that he had a pension of 400 livres settled upon him, and was honoured with the cross of St Louis. He distinguished himself greatly, August 15, 1703, at the battle of Caffano; where he received a wound upon his left hand, which deprived him of the use of it ever after. It was at this battle that he conceived the first idea of the system of columns, which he afterwards prefixed to his Commentaries upon Polybius. The duke of Orleans sending De Vendome again into Italy in 1706, Folard had orders to throw himself into Modena to defend it against Eugene; where, though he acquitted himself with his usual skill, he was very near being assassinated. The description which he has given of the conduct and character of the governor of this town, may be found in his Treatise of the Defence of Places, and deserves to be read. He received a dangerous wound on the thigh at the battle of Malplaquet, and was some time after made prisoner by Prince Eugene. Being exchanged in 1711, he was made... made governor of Bourbourg. In 1714, he went to Malta, to assist in defending that island against the Turks. Upon his return to France, he embarked for Sweden, having a passionate desire to see Charles XII. He acquired the esteem and confidence of that famous general, who sent him to France to negotiate the re-establishment of James II. upon the throne of England; but that project being dropped, he returned to Sweden, followed Charles XII. in his expedition to Norway, and served under him at the siege of Fredrikshall, where that prince was killed, Dec. 11, 1718. Folard then returned to France; and made his last campaign in 1719, under the duke of Berwick, in quality of colonel. From that time he applied himself intensively to the study of the military art as far as it could be studied at home; and built his theories upon the foundation of his experience and observations on facts. He contracted an intimacy with Count Saxe, who, as he then declared, would one day prove a very great general. He was chosen a fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1749; and, in 1751, made a journey to Avignon, where he died in 1752, aged 83 years. He was the author of several works, the principal of which are; 1. Commentaries upon Polybius, in five volumes, 4to. 2. A Book of New Discoveries in War. 3. A Treatise concerning the Defence of Places, &c. in French. Those who would know more of this eminent soldier, may consult a French piece, entitled, Memoires pour servir à l'Histoire de M. le Chevalier de Folard, Ratibone, 1753, 12mo.

FOLC.LANDS, (Sax.) copyhold lands so called in the time of the Saxons, as charter-lands were called boc-lands, Kitch. 174. Folkland was terra vulgi or popularis; the land of the vulgar people, who had no certain estate therein, but held the same, under the rents and services accustomed or agreed, at the will only of their lord the thane; and it was therefore not put in writing, but accounted praedium rusticum et ignobile. Spelm. of Feuds, c. 5.

POLCMOTE, or FOLCMOTE, (Sax. Folcomote, i.e. conventus populis), is compounded of folk, popularis, and mote, or gemonie, consenire; and signified originally, as Sommer in his Saxon Dictionary informs us, a general assembly of the people, to confer of and order matters of the commonwealth. And Sir Henry Spelman says, the folcmote was a sort of annual parliament or convention of the bishops, thanes, aldermen, and freemen, upon every May day yearly; where the laymen were sworn to defend one another and the king, and to preserve the laws of the kingdom; and then consulted of the common safety. But Dr Brady infers from the laws of the Saxon kings of England, that it was an inferior court, held before the king's reeve or fleaward, every month, to do folk right, or compose smaller differences, from whence there lay appeal to the superior courts; Glo's. p. 48. Squire seems to think the folcmote not distinct from the fibremote, or common general meeting of the county. See his Angl. Sax. Gov. 155. n.

Manwood mentions folcmote as a court holden in London, wherein all the folk and people of the city did complain of the mayor and aldermen, for misgovernment within the said city; and this word is still in use among the Londoners, and denotes celebrem ex tota civitate conveniunt. Stow's Survey. According to Ken-

net, the folcmote was a common council of all the inhabitants of a city, town, or borough, convened often by found of bell, to the Mote Hall or House; or it was applied to a larger congress of all the freemen within a county, called the fibremote, where formerly all knights and military tenants did fealty to the king, and elected the annual sheriff on the 1st of October; till this popular election, to avoid tumults and riots, devolved to the king's nomination, anno 1315, 3 Edw. I. After which the city folkmote was swallowed up in a select committee or common council, and the county folkmote in the sheriff's town and assizes.

The word folkmote was also used for any kind of popular or public meetings; as of all the tenants at the court leet, or court baron, in which signification it was of a less extent. Paroch. Antiq. 120.