he was apprenticed to a baker. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the 7th battalion of the Royal Artillery, and for a time served as gunner and driver. In December 1827 he was made bombardier, in May 1831 corporal, in January 1835 sergeant, and in April 1844 sergeant-major. From May 1837 to September 1840 he served abroad in the West Indies. On his return home he began to devote his attention to the subject of explosives, and during 1846, in which year he was commissioned quartermaster of the 10th battalion Royal Artillery, he invented an elaborate series of metal and wood fuzes for exploding live shells, both on 'concussion' and by 'time.' In 1847 he effected improvements on his original idea, and his fuzes were approved by the master-general of ordnance, and adopted in her majesty's service. Freeburn continued in the Royal Artillery until 21 April 1856, when he retired with the honorary rank of captain, on retired half-pay of 10s. per diem. He died at Plumstead on 5 Aug. 1876.
[Royal Artillery Records, Woolwich; diagrams of Freeburn's inventions in the Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich.]
FREEKE, WILLIAM (1662–1744), mystical writer. [See Freke.]
FREELING, Sir FRANCIS (1764–1836), postal reformer and book collector, was born in Redcliffe parish, Bristol, on 25 Aug. 1764. He began his official career in the Bristol post office. On the establishment of the new system of mail coaches, in 1785, he was appointed to aid the inventor,Palmer, in carrying his improvements into effect. Two years later he proceeded to London, and entered the service of the general post office, where he successively filled the offices of surveyor, principal and resident surveyor, joint secretary, and sole secretary, for nearly half a century. In a debate in the House of Lords in 1836 the Duke of Wellington stated that the English post office under Freeling's management had been better administered than any post office in Europe, or in any other part of the world. Freeling possessed ' a clear and vigorous understanding . . . and the power of expressing his thoughts and opinions, both verbally and in writing, with force and precision.' A baronetcy was conferred upon him for his public services on 11 March 1828. Freeling had been a warm admirer of Pitt, but he suffered no political partisanship to affect his administration of the post office. His leisure was devoted to the formation of a curious and valuable library. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1801, and was one of the original members of the Roxburghe Club, founded in 1812. Freeling died at his residence in Bryanston Square, London, on 10 July 1836. A marble monument was erected to him in the church of St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, with an inscription commemorative of his services. He was thrice married. By his first wife, Jane, daughter of John Christian Kurstadt, he had two sons. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by the elder, Sir George Henry Feeling, born in 1789, who matriculated at New College, Oxford, 17 March 1807 (Foster, Alumni Oxon.); was for some time assistant secretary at the post office, and subsequently commissioner of customs (1836-1841); and died 29 Nov. 1841, leaving issue.
[Ann. Reg. 1836; Gent. Mag. 1836, 1838; Foster's Baronetage.]
FREEMAN, JOHN (fl. 1611), divine, matriculated in the university of Cambridge as a sizar of Trinity College, 26 Nov. 1575. He graduated B.A. in 1580-1, was elected a fellow of his college in 1583, and commenced M.A. in 1584 (Cooper, Athenæ Cantabr. iii. 59). He was for some time preacher of Lewes in Sussex.
He published: 1. 'The Comforter, or a comfortable Treatise, wherein are contained many Reasons taken out of the Word, to assure the Forgiueness of Sinnes to the Conscience that is troubled with the feeling thereof,’ London, 1591, 1600, 8vo. Dedicated to the whole congregation of Lewes. 2. 'A Sermon on Rom. viii. 2-28,' London, 1611, 8vo. 3. 'A Sermon on Rom. xi. 2-8,' London, 1611, 8vo.
[Ames's Typogr. Antiq. (Herbert), pp. 1179, 1185, 1200; Crowe's Cat. pp. 207, 210.]
FREEMAN, JOHN (fl. 1670–1720), painter, had some repute as a history painter in the reign of Charles II. In early life he went to the West Indies, and narrowly escaped death by poisoning. He returned to England, and was much employed, although 'his Genius was so impair'd by that Attempt on his Life, that his latter Works fail'd of their usual Perfection.' He was considered a rival of Isaac Fuller [q. v.] He drew in the Academy that then existed, and latterly was scene painter to the play-house in Covent Garden. Some plates in R. Blome's 'History of the Old and New Testament' are probably from his designs. It is not known when he died, but he can hardly have lived till 1747, and be identical with the I. Freeman who drew the large view of 'The Trial of Lord Lovat in Westminster Hall.'
[De Piles's Lives of the Painters; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting.]
