French authorities, and the purchaser, refusing to deliver up the pictures, was arrested, and for some time confined in the castle of St. Angelo. But the place where they were deposited not having been discovered, he afterwards found means to convey them to England. When the French took possession of Rome in 1799, while attempting to take refuge on board Admiral Nelson's fleet Fagan was arrested with the pictures in his possession, but being released through the interference of a friend, he succeeded in conveying the two Claude pictures to Palermo. They were subsequently transmitted to a merchant in England for the purpose of sale, but through an error in the consignment they were deposited for a considerable time in a custom-house at some port in the west of England. On Fagan's arrival in London he ascertained that his pictures had been advertised for sale; he found no difficulty in proving them to be his property, and they were restored to him on payment of all expenses. They were subsequently disposed of to Mr. Beckford, with a few small Italian pictures, for 1,500l., and purchased from him for 12,000l. by Mr. Richard Hart Davis, by whom they were transferred to Mr. Miles. The Leigh Court paintings were sold in 1883, and the celebrated Altieri Claudes—the ‘Landing of Æneas’ and the ‘Sacrifice of Apollo’—are now in the collection of Mr. Vanderbilt of New York, U.S.A. A landscape, representing the embarkation of the queen of Sheba, was bought by Mr. Angerstein, and subsequently by the nation in 1824. Fagan exhibited at the Royal Academy the three following portraits: in 1812 ‘Children of Lord Amherst’ (Sarah and Jeffery), painted at Palermo; 1815, engraved in mezzotint by Dunkarten, ‘Portraits of Lady Acton and her Children;’ 1816, ‘Portrait of Captain Clifford.’ At Holland House there is a portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Holland, and at Bayfordbury Park are several works by Fagan. He married a Roman lady of great beauty, whose portrait he painted several times. He died in Rome, 26 Aug. 1816, leaving two children, Estina and George, diplomatist, who died at Caracas in 1869. Between 1812 and 1813 Fagan was at Naples, during which period he was much engaged in corresponding with Queen Caroline of Naples and Lord William Bentinck (see Historical Review, Cambridge, July 1887).
[Private information.]
FAGG, Sir JOHN (d. 1701), colonel, was the son of John Fagg of Rye, Sussex (son of John Fagg of Brenzett, Kent), by his marriage with Miss Elizabeth Hudson (Berry, County Genealogies, Kent, p. 262). During the civil war he took sides with the parliament and became a colonel. He sat for Rye in the Long parliament. On 19 June 1643 he offered a loan of 1,000l. to parliament, which his future brother-in-law, Colonel Herbert Morley, was authorised to accept. He was appointed a commissioner to try the king, and attended in the painted chamber on 10, 12, and 13 Jan. 1648–9, but otherwise bore no part in the trial. On being nominated one of the committee for Sussex he refused to countenance their proposals for ‘righting’ the county. William Goffe [q. v.], in writing to Thurloe from Lewes, 7 Nov. 1655, states that he had omitted Fagg's name from the commission because he was ‘lately observed to be too gratious with disaffected men; besides, will not stirr a haires bredth without coll. Morley’ (Thurloe, State Papers, iv. 161). At the election of 1654 Fagg was returned for the county of Sussex, and again in 1656, when, however, he was not permitted to take his seat (Lists of Members of Parliament, Official Return, pt. i. p. 505). In the parliament of 1658–9 he was returned for the county, Bramber borough, and Horsham, when he elected to sit with Colonel Morley for the county (ib. pt. i. p. 510). On 31 July of that year the council of state placed him in command of the Sussex militia. He was directed to pay special regard to the security of Chichester and Arundel, and to promise all who volunteered for this service equal pay with the regular troops while actually under arms. He was also to maintain a correspondence with the army and militia in Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, and Wiltshire, as there might be occasion, and to give frequent intelligence to the council of his proceedings (Thurloe, vii. 712; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1659–60, p. 562). He refused to act with Fleetwood and Lambert's party, and for attempting to raise forces in Sussex to join Haslerig and Morley in Portsmouth, he was seized by Lieutenant-colonel Lagoe and sent prisoner to London in Dec. 1659 (Mercurius Politicus, 8–15 Dec. 1659, p. 946). The Rump, on being restored a fortnight afterwards, accorded him a special vote of thanks, 29 Dec. (Commons' Journals, vii. 799). Two days later he was placed on the council of state (ib. vii. 800). Fagg used his influence to promote the king's return, and was created a baronet 11 Dec. 1660. He was elected for Steyning, Sussex, in March 1661, and held the seat during his life (Lists of Members of Parliament). In the election of 1680–1 he was returned for the county as well as for Steyning, but preferred to represent the latter (ib. pt. i. p. 550). Fagg acquired the estate of Wiston,
