Chilperic, not long after, married Galswintha, eldest sister of Brunehaut, Queen of Austrasia, and Fredegonde was dismissed. But the gentle Galswintha soon died, strangled, it is said, in her bed, by order of the king, who was instigated by Fredegonde. Fredegonde then persuaded Chilperic to marry her, and from that time her ascendency over him ceased only with his life.
Fredegonde had five children herself, all of whom, except the youngest, Clotaire, died before her. The only womanly affection she exhibited was love for their children, but this, corrupted by her wicked heart, was the cause of many of her crimes.
She appears to have been a bold, bad woman, and her claim to a place in this record rests upon her ability solely. Her life was a series of crimes and cruelties, with an account of which we need not defile our pages; suffice it to state, that after causing the death of Siegbert, brother of her husband Chilperic, of the three sons of the last-named monarch, and of their mother Andowere, and lastly of Chilperic himself, and being engaged in a succession of bloody wars, brought about chiefly by her instrumentality, she died suddenly in 597, just as she had gained a victory over Brunehaut, who was left queen-regent of Paris on the death of Childebert
FREILIGRATH, IDA,
Wife of the celebrated poet, is said to possess high literary talent. She has assisted her husband in his translations from the English poets, and has written original articles, prose and poetiy, of much merit.
FREYBERG, BARONESS VON,
By birth Electrina Stuntz, is one of the most celebrated female artists in Germany. She resides near Munich, but no longer paints professionally; but though she is the careful mother of a large family, yet she still finds some moments to devote to her art. It is as a portrait painter that she acquired her high reputation, and in that branch of art she is almost unequalled. She excels in children; and while she equals Angelica Kauffman in grace and delicacy, she far surpasses her in power both of drawing and colouring.
FROHBERG, REGINA,
A German novelist, was born in 1783, at Berlin. Her maiden name was Salamon. She was the daughter of wealthy Jewish parents, and has lived, since 1813, in Vienna. She is quite a prolific authoress, and her works are distinguished for purity of style, true colouring, and a fine display of imagination. The best of these are "Louisa, or the Contest between Love and Obedience," published at Berlin in 1808; "Love and Grief," published at Amsterdam in 1812; and "The Vow," brought out at Vienna in 1816.
FRY, ELIZABETH,
A lady of the sect of Friends or Quakers, distinguished for her benevolence, and as the originator of the Newgate female committee, was born in 1780. Her father was Mr. Gurney, of Norwich; and her brother was the celebrated John J. Gurney. Before her marriage, she established, by her father's consent, a school in his house for eighty poor children.
