FALCONIA, PROBA,
A Roman poetess, flourished in the reign of Theodosius; she was a native of Horta, or Hortanum, in Etruria. There is still extant by her, a cento from Virgil, giving the sacred history from the creation to the deluge; and "The History of Christ," in verses selected from that poet, introduced by a few lines of her own. She has sometimes been confounded with Anicia Faltonia Proba, the mother of three consuls, and with Valeria Proba, wife of Adelsius, the proconsul. She lived about 438.
FANE, ELIZABETH,
Author of several pious meditations and proverbs in the English language, printed in London in 1550, was probably either the wife of Richard Fane, who married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Stidolph, or of Sir Thomas Fane, who was engaged in Wyatt's rebellion in the reign of Queen Mary. Her writings were entitled "Lady Elizabeth Fane's twenty-one Psalms, and one hundred and two Proverbs "
FANNIA,
Daughter of Pætus Thrasea, and grand-daughter of Arria, was the wife of Helvidius, who was twice banished by Domitian, Emperor of Rome, in 81, and who was accompanied each time into exile by his devoted wife. Fannia being accused of having furnished Senecio with materials for writing the life of Helvidins, boldly avowed the fact, but used the greatest precaution to prevent her mother from being involved in the transaction. She was as gentle as magnanimous, and fell a victim to the unremitting tenderness with which she watched over a young vestel, Junia, who had been entrusted to her care, when ill, by the high priest.
FANSHAWE, ANN HARRISON, LADY,
The eldest daughter of Sir John Harrison, of Balls, was born in London, March 25th., 1625 Her mother was Margaret Fanshawe, of an ancient and highly respectable family; and, what was of more importance to her daughter, she was an eminently pious as well as accomplished lady. So well did this careful mother instruct her eldest daughter, that when the former died, the latter, though only fifteen years of age, took charge of her father's house and family, and fulfilled all her duties in a manner highly exemplary.
Ann Harrison married, when about nineteen, Mr., afterwards Sir Richard Fanshawe, a relation of her mother's. He had been educated a lawyer, but not liking his profession, went abroad, with his wife, and was finally appointed secretary to the English ambassador at the Spanish court. Mr. Fanshawe was a loyal follower of the house of Stuart, true to the falling fortunes of Charles the First, and the confidant and counsellor of Charles the Second, while he was striving to obtain the throne. During all the struggles and violence of those terrible times, Mrs. Fanshawe shared every danger and sympathized with every feeling of her dearly beloved husband. He was taken and imprisoned after the battle of Worcester, and during his imprisonment, she never failed to go secretly with a dark lantern, at four o'clock in the morning, to his window. She minded neither darkness nor storms, and often stood talking with
