FEHMIC (fi'mik) COURTS, certain tri bunals, which in the Middle Ages wielded tre mendous power in Westphalia and other parts of Germany. Their institution has been traced back to the time of Charlemagne. They were known as free courts from the fact that all free-born men were eligible for membership.
Their jurisdiction was derived from the em peror, who gave them the power of life and death (blutbann) which they exercised in his name. At times secret sessions were held to which only the initiated were admitted, all others being excluded under pain of death. The organization of the 'courts spread rapidly about the beginning of the 13th century. The Freischoffen, who constituted the great body of the initiated, were sworn to uphold the Fehme with all their powers, to guard its secrets, and to bring before it anything within its competence that they might dis cover. They were initiated into the secret signs by which members recognized each other and were presented with a rope and knife marked with cabalistic letters. The presi dent of the court was the Freigraf, who was appointed for life by the Stuhlherr who was chief of a centre of jurisdiction and whose superior was the Oberstuhlherr or su preme judge. After 1180 the supreme head was
the archbishop of Cologne. The procedure of a session followed closely that of the ancient German courts. It was held by day in some well-known spot. The accusation could be made by a Freischdffe only and if the offense was punishable by death a summons was issued to the accused to whom 45 days of grace were allowed. The judgment was executed on the spot if that was at all possible. If the accused did not appear, the sentence was imparted to the whole body, and the individual who first encountered the condemned was bound to slay him, leaving a knife with the insignia of the Fehme on the body to show that the deed was not a murder. With many modifications the system survived in Westphalia down to 1811. Consult Tross, L.,
FRIA (fi'ya) LAKE, in the province of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, near the coast. Area 192 square miles. Connections by canals have been made with the Parahyba River on the north and the Atlantic on the east.