a 
FRA : 
Franeker, the rents and revenues being expended on the spot, but 
Frankfort. are also 
aye oe 
subjected to the tyranny and exactions of despo- 
deputies. See Playfair’s Geography, vol, iv. and Reis- 
beck’s Travels through , Vol. iii. (gq) 
FRANEKER, a town of Holland in West Friesland, 
situated in the district of Westergo, and in the canton of 
Franekeradeel. It stands about two leagues from the 
Zuyder Sea, near the canal which stretches between Leu- 
warden and Harlingen. Franeker is the second town, 
and one of the neatest in Friesland, being adorned with 
very fine buildings, both public and private. It is cele- 
brated for its university, which s a fine library, 
and which was established in 1585 by the states, and by 
William Louis, Count of Nassau. It possesses also a 
castle, which was erected in the 15th century, and ser- 
ved as the residence of the governors of Friesland. Be- 
tween Franeker and Harlingen, there are many tile-kilns, 
where varnished tiles of a deep colour are fabricated. 
About a league from the town is Kleins-Lankum, the 
residence of the celebrated Camper, and where one of his 
sons continues to increase the splendid collection of mi- 
nerals and petrifactions begun by his father. 
The mean temperature of this town, according to five 
years observations, was 52° 6’. The maximum heat was 
82°, and the usual cold 12°. East Longitude 
&° 28'; and North Latitude 53° 11’. (w) 
FRANKFORT, on the Mayne, an imperial city in the 
circle of the Upper Rhine, is about 35 miles eastward of 
Mentz, and is situated in the centre of the finest district 
of Germany. It was anciently the residence of the 
Frankish monarchs, and is still the place where the elec- 
tors of the empire hold their meeting for choosing an 
emperor. The city is large, and contains about 60,000 
inhabitants, including the Jews. It is divided into two 
parts are planted with limes, and afford 
walks to the inhabitants. Most of the houses 
the antique form, having the upper stories projecting 
over.the lower; but they are kept in good repair, and 
have always a fresh The principal houses 
are built of red or white stone, and many of them are 
id edifices. The principal streets are wide, and 
are three spacious squares, which add greatly to the 
beauty of the place, and in which are situated the houses 
of the opulent merchants, and the palaces of the neigh- 
bouring princes. Considerable additions have lately been 
made to it, comprising asquare and 18 streets, which are 
filled with inhabitants. The public buildings most worthy 
of notice, are the cathedral church of Bartholomew, and 
the Rémer, or Stadhouse. The cathedral belongs to the 
Catholics, and is a ancient Gothic structure, said to 
have been erected by Pepin of France, and enriched by 
Charlemagne ; but it was completely plundered by Louis 
of Bavaria; and has neither statues, paintings, nor orna- 
ments. The Romer, or town-house, is an immense Go- 
thic pile, bearing the marks of antiquity, and con- 
taining various chambers for the transactions of public 
business. In the chamber of the electors, are several 
good paintings ; and the grand hall contains a reguler se- 
ries of portraits of all the German emperors, from the 
time of Conrad in the year 900. Among the archives, 
is deposited the famous golden bull of Charles IV. which 
contains the fundamental laws of the Germanic constitus 
TAS 
tion, written on parchment, in High Dutch, says Bishop Frankfort. 
Burnet, (who confesses, however, that he did not see it,) ~~ 
FRA 
but, according to Cogan, in the Latin 1 The 
Lutheran church of St Katharine, is = gore aname 
building, ornamented, says the prelate just quoted, with 
as much painting as any Popish church, and having a 
huge carved crucifix over the high altar. The pulpit is 
extremely fine, constructed of marble of different colours, 
nicely polished and joined. The city is not encumbered 
with suburbs ; but is surrounded with the country seats 
and pleasure gardens of the richer inhabitants, intermixed 
with public houses and tea gardens, for the entertain< 
ment of the ordinary citizens. No town in Germany, or 
perhaps in Europe, is more celebrated for excellent inns ; 
but there exists a very oppressive law, by which the inn- 
keepers, except. at the time. of the fairs, can prevent 
strangers from occupying private lodgings, and compel 
them both to eat and to sleep in the taverns. Franke 
fort is one of the principal commercial towns in Germany ; 
and many of its merchants are possessed of considerable 
wealth. Riesbeck reckons that there are 200 houses or 
companies, who have annual incomes of 100,000 guil« 
ders, or £10,000 sterling and upwards; and in furni- 
ture, equipage, and dress, there isa great appearance of 
affluence among the higher rank of citizens. . The trade, 
however, is of a description unfavourable to the country ; 
and Frankfort has been termed “ the great canal by 
which the gold of the empire runs out.” There are con« 
siderable manufactures of silk, cotton, linen, woollen, car- 
peting, porcelain, tobacco, iron ware, &c. ; but the prin« 
cipal traders are little better than brokers, commissioning 
articles of internal consumption. The export of German 
commodities from this channel, scarcely amounts to one= 
tenth of the imports from other countries, which consist 
of all kinds of spices, female ornaments, handkerchiefs, 
silks, and the various articles of luxury, furnished by 
Italy, France, and Holland. As the way to the princi« 
pal high roads of Germany lies through the direction of 
Frankfort, there is. always a concourse of fashionable 
company in the towns; and several thousands of strane 
gers are attracted to its great fairs, where the southern 
parts of Germany are supplied with various commodities. 
Of these fairs, there are two in the year, one in the spring, 
and another in the autumn season. _ Its situation on the 
Mayne, and its proximity to the Rhine, renders'it the ma- 
gazine of all the merchandize which is conveyed by these 
rivers, to the different parts.of Germany. Besides the 
number of traders (about 1600) and privatepurchasers, by 
whom these fairs are frequented, multitudes are attracted 
by the love of gaiety and amusement; and the city becomes, 
during their continuance, as much a scene of licentious- 
ness as a mart of business. The municipal government 
of Frankfort is of a very mixed and intricate description ; 
and warm contests are continually carrying on between 
the aristocratical and popular interests. The spirit of 
litigiousness is described as unusually prevalent in the 
place; and the annual expence of the law suits, in which 
the magistrates are uniformly engaged with the burghers 
of the city, or with the neighbouring princes, is estimated 
at 50,000 rix-dollars. The annual revenue is about 
600,000 guilders, or L. 30,000 sterling, which is raised 
chiefly from the customs and excise; but partly from the 
contributions of the burghers. There are two rates of 
contribution, one of 50 and the other of 25 guilders per 
annum. The former is imposed upon those who have 
an annual income of 30,000 guilders and upwards ; and 
