Ferrers, George, 1500?-1579

English courtier, Member of Parliament, poet, dramatist, editor, and translator, best known for his contributions to A Mirror for Magistrates. Ferrers was mistakenly assigned the first name "Edward" in the praise of George Puttenham in The Arte of English Poesie. In 1524, Ferrers was arrested for outstanding debt on his way to Parliament, leading to the "Ferrers Case" of 1543. The case involved the notion of parliamentary privilege, and the decision established members' immunity from civil arrest while Parliament was in session.

Fenton, Elijah, 1683-1730

English biographer, translator, and poet. He is best remembered for his collaboration with Alexander Pope and William Broome on a translation of the Odyssey. His other significant works include his collection Poems on Several Occasions, his Life of John Milton, and the tragedy Mariamne.

Fénelon, François de Salignac de La Mothe- 1651-1715

As preceptor for Louis, duc de Bourgogne, grandson of Louis XIV, Fénelon wrote Les Avantures de Télémaque, fils d'Ulysse (1699), to impart his liberal political views to his pupil. On the surface, the didactic romance narrates the voyage of Telemachus in the Odyssey as he searches for his father accompanied by the goddess Minerva, who teaches him the virtues of an enlightened monarch, while incorporating at the same time a critique on Louis XIV's ideology of monarchy by divine right.

Felton, John, 1595?-1628

A lieutenant in the English army who assassinated George Villiers, First Duke of Buckingham. After leading multiple failed military expeditions, thereby damaging the reputation of Charles I, Villiers was hated by the public, who rejoiced at the news of his assassination.

Farquhar, George, 1677?-1707

Born in Northern Ireland, playwright George Farquhar was best known for his comic plays including The Constant Couple (1699) and The Recruiting Officer (1706). He died at the age of 29 only days after his successful play The Beaux' Stratagem premiered. Other plays, several of which are adaptations from the work of other authors, include Love and a Bottle (1698), Sir Harry Wildair (1701), The Stage-Coach (1702), The Inconstant (1702), and The Twin-Rivals (1702).