A question still (1903) pending between Great Britain and France. By the Treaty of Utrecht, 1713, Newfoundland was declared English, but the French were suffered to retain their fishery rights and the use of a certain portion of the coast for drying stations. France has for many years sought to give a very wide interpretation to this use of the Newfoundland coast, claiming almost sovereign rights, which seriously interfere with the railway and mining development of the colony. A _modus vivendi_ has been arrived at, pending final settlement, but the long delay in coming to an agreement has caused much irritation in Newfoundland. Frèrage. The system by which in French feudal times provision was made for the younger members of a family. The land passed to the eldest son, who retained a portion of it, and passed the rest on to his brothers, who did homage for it. Frèrage was similar in its form and in its results to subinfeudation. Friends of Ireland. The title under which the Catholic Association was reconstituted by O’Connell in 1830. It was declared illegal, whereupon it reappeared in a new form as the Society of Irish Volunteers. Friends of the People. A society formed in 1792 to agitate for the removal of the existing inequalities in representation. It numbered among its members many leading Whig politicians, amongst others Russell, Sheridan, Erskine and Grey. Frithbohr. _See_ Frankpledge. Frith-guilds. Societies formed in the towns, on conditions of mutual responsibility somewhat analogous to the Frankpledge, in the early Plantagenet times. They afterwards combined, forming the powerful merchant guilds which eventually came to control not only the conditions of labour, but the selling price of the commodities in which they dealt. Fronde. A revolt of the Parlement and citizens of Paris, under the leadership of the Cardinal de Retz, against the unrestrained autocracy of Louis XIV. The court was forced to leave Paris in 1648, but the first outbreak was ended during the year following by an arrangement called the Treaty of Ruel. It was finally suppressed in 1652. The contention of the Fronde was that the king’s prerogative should only be exercised within the limits of the law, and should not be above the law, as was claimed by the king. Frostathing’s Law. One of the codes of law of the Norsemen. It was codified by Hakon the Good, King of Denmark (934-960) but was probably in existence at a much earlier date. Fudai. The vassal Daimios or nobles of the Shôgun, in old Japan. Fuero. The charter granted to a Spanish town in the Middle Ages. The earliest known Fuero is that of Leon, granted by Alfonso V in 1020. Fuero Juzgo. The code of laws of the Gothic kings of Spain. Fugitive Slave Circular.