Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 20.djvu/170

  in 1795, and contributed from that year to 1821 (inclusive) eighty-five works in all to its exhibitions. He was one of the sketching society formed by Thomas Girtin [q. v.] about 1799, and there is a moonlight composition in the South Kensington Museum dated in that year. He was a member of the (now Royal) Society of Painters in Water-Colours, and for some time its secretary, but he resigned his membership, and became in 1816 an unsuccessful candidate for the associateship of the Royal Academy. The next year he retired to Calais, where he resided till his death on 6 Feb. 1839. Here he gave instruction to R. P. Bonington [q. v.], whose coast scenes bear much resemblance to the later works of Francia. Francia's earlier drawings are broad and simple in execution, rich, but sombre in colour, like those of Girtin; but his later work, while still retaining its breadth and harmony, is brighter and lighter in tone, and more subtle in handling. Though he painted landscape of different kinds, his favourite subjects were shore scenes, which he executed with great truth and beauty of aerial effect. He was an excellent draughtsman of boats and shipping, and some of his drawings were engraved to illustrate a book of sketches of shipping by E. W. Cooke [q. v.] He was one of the earliest and most accomplished of English water-colourists, and his works are distinguished by their fine colour and poetical feeling. There are several of his drawings at the South Kensington Museum, and a few at the British Museum. In 1810 he published ‘Studies of Landscapes by T. Gainsborough, J. Hoppner, R.A., T. Girtin, &c., imitated from the originals by L. F.’

[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists; Bryan's Dict. (Graves); English Encyclopædia; private information.]  FRANCILLON, JAMES (1802–1866), legal writer, sixth son of Francis Francillon of Harwich, Essex, descended from a Huguenot family settled in this country since 1685, was born 21 Nov. 1802, educated at the king's school, Rochester, ‘served his articles’ and was admitted an attorney, thereafter entered a student at Gray's Inn, and was called to the bar by that society in 1833. He went the Oxford circuit, enjoyed a fair practice, but was chiefly employed in chamber work. In 1847, when the modern county courts were constituted, he was appointed judge for the Gloucestershire district. He was also a magistrate for Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, and deputy-chairman of the Gloucestershire quarter sessions. Francillon, who was married and had issue, died at Lausanne of cholera 3 Sept. 1866. He wrote ‘Lectures, Elementary and Familiar, on English Law,’ first and second series, 1860–1. This work, written in a popular style, had some reputation.

[County Court Chronicle and Bankruptcy Gazette, 1 Oct. 1866, p. 227; Gent. Mag. October 1866, p. 559.]  FRANCIS, ALBAN (d. 1715), Benedictine monk, a native of Middlesex, became a professed monk on 9 May 1670, in the abbey of St. Adrian and St. Denis at Lansperg or Lambspring in the kingdom of Hanover (, Chronicle, App. p. 24). He assumed in religion the name of Placid. He was sent to the mission in Cambridgeshire. On 7 Feb. 1686–7 James II addressed a mandatory letter under his signet manual to Dr. John Peachell, master of Magdalene College, and vice-chancellor of Cambridge, commanding him to admit Francis to the degree as master of arts ‘without administering unto him any oath or oaths whatsoever, or tendering any subscription to be made by him.’ This letter was laid before a congregation of the university on 21 Feb., and the senate advised that the king should be petitioned to revoke his mandate. The esquire-bedels and the registrars were sent to inform Francis that the senate were ready to admit him to the degree provided that he would swear as the law appointed, but he refused to do so, insisting upon the royal dispensation. On the same afternoon the heads met in the consistory, and agreed to send a letter to the Duke of Albemarle and another to the Earl of Sunderland, secretary of state, through whose hands the mandate had passed. A second letter from the king dated 24 Feb. was read in the senate on 11 March. The senate, confirmed by the approval of several eminent lawyers, persisted in its refusal to comply with the royal letters. Consequently the vice-chancellor and the senate (by its deputies) were cited to appear before the ecclesiastical commissioners at Whitehall. The lord chancellor (Jeffreys) pronounced the decision of the commissioners on 7 May 1687. Peachell was deprived of the office of vice-chancellor and was suspended, ab officio et beneficio, of his mastership during his majesty's pleasure. At a subsequent sitting (12 May) the lord chancellor reprimanded the deputies of the senate. Another vice-chancellor was elected, Dr. Balderston, master of Emmanuel College, but Francis never got his degree.

At the revolution Francis withdrew to Lambspring, whence he removed in 1699 to the English Benedictine college of St. Gregory at Douay. He was again sent to the