FAI 



the sun ; they are but very seldom seen. 

 One was seen by Hevelius in 1634, whose 

 breadth was said to be equal to a third 

 part of the sun's diameter 



FACULTY, in law, a privilege granted 

 to a person, by favour and indulgence, of 

 doing what, by law, he ought not to do. 

 For granting these privileges there is a 

 court under the Archbishop of Canter- 

 bury, called the court of the faculties, 

 the chief officer whereof is styled master 

 of the faculties, who has a power of 

 granting dispensations in divers cases, 

 as to marry without the bans being first 

 published; to eat flesh on days prohibit- 

 ed; to ordain a deacon under ago; for 

 a son to succeed his father in his bene- 

 fice ; a clerk to hold two or more livings, 

 &e. 



FACULTY, in the schools, a term appli- 

 ed to the different members of an uni- 

 versity, divided according to the arts 

 and sciences taught there : thus in most 

 universities there are four faculties, viz. 

 1. Of arts, which include humanity and 

 philosophy. 2. Of theology. 3. Of phy- 

 sic. And, 4. Of civil law. The degrees 

 in the several faculties of our universi- 

 ties are those of bachelor, master, and 

 doctor. 



FACULTY of advocates, a term applied 

 to the college or society of advocates in 

 Scotland, who plead in all actions be- 

 fore the Court of Session. They meet in 

 the beginning of every year, and choose 

 the annual officers of the society, viz. 

 dean, treasurer, clerks, private and pub- 

 lic examinators, and a curator of the li- 

 brary. 



FJECULA, in chemistry, the substance 

 obtained by bruising or grinding certain 

 vegetables, or gnun, in water ; the fsecula 

 is that part which, after standing some 

 time, falls to the bottom ; this, in plants, 

 appears to be only a slight alteration of 

 their mucilage, for it differs from muci- 

 lage in no other respect than in being 

 insoluble in cold water. Most plants 

 contain fzecula, but the seeds oi gramine- 

 ous and leguminous vegetables, and all 

 tuberose roots, contain it in great abun- 

 dance. 



FAGARA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Tetrandrin Monogynia class and order. 

 Natural order of Dumosae. Terebintaceae, 

 Jussieu. Essential character: calyx four- 

 cleft ; corolla four-petallecl ; capsule two- 

 valved, with one seed. There are ten 

 species. 



FAGONIA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Monogynia class and order. 



Natural order of Gruinales. Rutacese, Jus- 

 sieu. Essential character : calyx five- 

 leaved ; petals five, cordate; capsule five- 

 celled, ten-valved, with one seed in each 

 cell. There are three species. 



FAGR-EA, in botany, so called in ho- 

 nour of Jonas Theodore Fagrxus, M. D. 

 a genus of the Pentandria Monogynia 

 class and order. Natural order of Con- 

 tortse. Apocinex, Jussieu. Essential cha- 

 racter : calyx bell-shaped ; corolla funnel- 

 shaped ; berry two-celled, fleshy ; seeds 

 globular ; stigma peltate. Only one spe- 

 cies. 



FAG US, in botany, chesnut tree, a genus 

 of the Monoecia Polyandria class and 

 order. Natural order of Amentacese. Es- 

 sential character : male, calyx five-cleft, 

 bell-shaped; corolla none ; stamina twelve: 

 female, calyx four toothed ; corolla none ; 

 styles three ; capsule muricate, four- 

 valved ; seeds two. There are five spe- 

 cies, viz. two chesnut trees, and three of 

 the beech, one of which is a native of 

 Cochin-china. 



FAINT action, or FEIGNED action, in 

 law, is a sort of fictitious suit, contrived 

 for the purpose of trying a particular 

 question of fact, and is generally directed 

 by the Court of Chancery. 



FAIR, a greater kind of market, grant- 

 ed to a town, by privilege, for the more 

 speedy and commodious providing of 

 such things as the place stands in need 

 of. It is incident to a fair, that persons 

 shall be free from being arrested in it 

 for any other debt contracted than what 

 was contracted in the same ; or, at least, 

 promised to be paid there. These fairs 

 are generally kept once or twice a year, 

 and, by statute, they shall not be held 

 longer than they ought, by the lords 

 thereof, on pain of their being seized 

 into the King's hands, &c. Also procla- 

 mation is to be made how long they are 

 to continue ; and no person shall sell any 

 goods after the time of the fair is ended, 

 on forfeiture of double the value, one 

 fourth to the prosecutor, and the rest to 

 the King. There is a toll usually paid in 

 fairs, oii the sale of things, and for stall- 

 age, picage, &c. 



FAIRS and MAIIKKTS, in law. No 

 person can claim a fair or market, unless 

 by grant from the King, or by prescrip- 

 tion, which supposes such grant. Own- 

 ers and governors of fairs are to take 

 cure that every thing be sold according 

 to just weight and measure, and for that 

 and other purposes may appoint a clerk 

 of the fair or market, who is to mark. 



