Historical and genealogical essay upon the family and surname of Buchanan

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ACCOUNT OF THE
hearing of which, all effective men belonging to
the laird of Buchanan with the utmost diligence,
repaired well armed to the ordinary place of ren-
dezvous, which, when the lairds resided in that
island, was upon a ground upon the shore opposite
thereto. That which in these more modern times
came in place of the slugorn was the fire-cross,
being a little stick with a cross on one end of it,
the extremities of which were burnt, or made black
by fire. This cross, being once sett a-going, was
carried through with such despatch, as in a few
hours would alarm the people of a vast extent of
ground.
Gilbeet his son, being first of that name, and
eight laird, and who first, by any thing can be
collected, assumed the surname of Buchanan, was
senescal, or chamberlain, to the earl of Lennox,
which office his father Anselan enjoyed for some
time. There is a charter of confirmation of that
of Clareinch, and some other lands of Buchanan,
granted in favour of this Gilbert, by king Alexan-
der II. in the seventeenth year of his reign, and
of our Lord 1231. * The same Gilbert is also
inserted witness in a charter, granted by Malcolm,
earl of Lennox, discharging the abbot and monks
of Pasly of all service and duties prestable by
them to the earl, for any lands mortified by him
or his ancestors to that abbacy ; which charter is
dated at Renfrew, in year 1274. f To Gilbert
succeeded his son
* Charter among Buchanan's old evidences,
•f- Chartulary of Dunbartonshire.