FRANZ 204 FRATRICELLI Constantine I., in 337, they constituted a powerful faction at the imperial court. In 355 they again invaded Gaul, and were defeated by Julian, who per- mitted them to establish a colony in Bra- bant or Taxandria. In 418 they again invaded Gaul, where, under their leader Pharamond, they founded the modern kingdom of France (q. v.). FRANZ, ROBERT, a German musi- cian; bom in Halle, Prussia, June 28, 1815. He was famous for his songs, which were of a peculiar lyric beauty. His first published composition appeared in 1843. The latter years of his life were spent in editing the works of Bach, Handel, etc. He died in Halle, Oct. 24, 1892. F R A S E R, MARY CRAWFORD (MRS. HUGH), an English Crawford, sister of Marion Crawford, the novel- ist. She was born in Rome and was educated in that city and in England. She married Hugh Eraser, who was af- terward Minister of Japan, and with him traveled throughout the East, and in North and South America. She wrote much, chiefly on Japanese life and characters. Her writings include "A Diplomat's Wife in Japan" (1911) ; "Letters from Japan" (1904) ; "A Diplo- mat's Wife in Many Lands" (1910) ; "Further Reminiscences of a Diplomat's Wife" (1912) ; "Italian Yesterdays" (1913); and "Storied Italy" (1916). FRATERNAL SOCIETIES. Many of the secret fraternal societies of the Uni- ted States include in their obligations the payment of sick: and death benefits, and fraternal care of the members when sick. Others are formed for the express purpose of insurance, the money for death payments being raised by assess- ments, the assessment rate either re- maining stationary or increasing with the age of the member. The insurance is generally from $1,000 to $3,000. An other class of such societies is that in which the lodge principle prevails and which have the social features promi- nently kept in view. In these a stipu- lated sum is paid on the death of a member, and assessments are made on the death ratio. Among the largest of these organizations are the Odd Fel- lows, founded in 1819; Knights of Honor, 1873; Knights OF Pythias (g. -y.) 1864 ; and Royal Arcanum, 1877. The in- surance paid by these varies. There are numerous other societies conducted on the same principle. FRATERNITIES, a voluntary as- sociation of men for promoting their common interest, business or pleasure. In this wide sense it includes all secret and benevolent societies, the monastic and sacerdotal congregations, the orders of knighthood, and also guilds, trades- unions, and the like. In a limited sense it is applied to religious societies for pious practices and benevolent objects. They were often formed during the Middle Ages, from a desire of imitating the holy orders. Many of these socie- ties, which did not obtain or seek the acknowledgment of the Church, had the appearance of separatists, which sub- jected them to the charge of heresy. The pious fraternities which were formed under the direction of the Church, or were acknowledged by it, were either required by their rules to afford as- sistence to travelers, to the unfortu- nate, the distressed, the sick, and the deserted, on account of the ineffi- ciency of the police, and the want of institutions for the poor, or to perform certain acts of penitence and devotion. Of this description were the Fratres Pontifices, a brotherhood that origi- nated in Tuscany in the 12th century, where they maintained establishments on the banks of the Arno, to enable travelers to cross the river, and to suc- cor them in case of distress. A similar society was afterward formed in France, where they built bridges and hospitals, maintained ferries, kept the roads in repair, and provided for the security of the highways. Similar to these were the Knights and Compan- ions of the Santa Hermandad (or Holy Brotherhood) in Spain; the Familiars and Crossbearers in the service of the Spanish Inquisition; the Calendar Bro- thers in Germany; the Alexians in Ger- many Poland, and the Netherlands, etc. The professed object of the Alexians, so called from Alexius, their patron saint, was to visi' the sick and imprisoned and to collrjt alms for distribution. There were also Gray Penitents (an old fraternity of an order existing as early as 1264 in Rome, and introduced into France under Henry III.), the black fraternities of Mercy and of Death; the Red, the Blue, the Green, and the Violet Penitents, so called from the color of their cowl; the divisions of each were known by the colors of the girdle or mantle. The fraternity of the Holy Trinity was founded at Rome in 1548 by Philip de Neri for the relief of pil- grims and the cured dismissed from the hospitals. The Brothers and Sisters of Charity are another fraternity whose hospitals are found in all the principal cities of Catholic Christendom. See College Fraternities. FRATRICELLI, FRATICELLI, or FRATRICELLIANS, originally a name
