"That the last Lord Lovat believed in his Norman descent I do not doubt. Early in the last century (A.D. 1702) he signed a bond of recognition with the Marquis Frezeau or Frezel de la Frezelière, declaring that their name and origin were the same and acknowledging themselves as relations. The Frezeaus, however, were Anjevins from near Saumur, while the first Scotch Fraser was said to be a Bourbonnais; still both parties were probably easily satisfied with their bond, which only went to prove apparently more clearly the antiquity of the families, however unnecessary, for the Frezeaus or Frezels were one of the most ancient houses in France, and the Frasers are undoubtedly one of the noblest families in Scotland. Burton, in his Life of Lord Lovat, London, 147, p. 104, throws discredit upon Lord Lovat's statement (Memoirs of Lord Lovat, London) of the antiquity of the family of Frezeau de la Frezelière, because, forsooth, there is no account of the family in 'le Père Anselme,' but Moreri (Grand Dicte. Histe. Basle, 1740) says 'the family was one of the most ancient in the kingdom' (almost the very words of Lord Lovat), 'and one of the most illustrious of the Province (Anjou), where they have possessed from time immemorial the seigniory of the Frezelière.' Moreri adds that there were Chevaliers Frezel in 1030, and, commencing his pedigree with the Chevalier Geoffrey, living in 1270, carries it down uninterruptedly to the Marquis de la Frezelière, et de Monsieur Baron de Lasse, Lieutenant-General in the army and first Lieutenant-General in the Artillery, who died in 1711. "Both the Marquis and Lord Lovat were mistaken, however, for the Anjevin name does _not_ signify 'strawberry,' neither does that family bear 'fraises' in their arms, but Frezeau or Frezel de la Frezelière signifies 'Ash of the Ash Plantation or Wood,' from the Romance word _Fraysse_, 'an ash tree;' and in Auvergne there is a family styled 'du Fraisse,' who bear an ash tree in their arms. Similar names to Frezel de la Frezelière are le Bastard de la Bastardière, Freslon de la Freslonnière, Raband de la Rabandière. "It is true that the name Frisell occurs in the Roll of Battle Abbey; but even allowing that to be authentic, what proof is there that the Frisell who accompanied the Conqueror in 1066, was the ancestor of Gilbert de Fraser, who possessed large estates in Tweeddale and Lothian in the time of Alexander I. (1107-1174)? "This Gilbert, the first of the family mentioned, is called 'de,' but the name was more frequently written without that prefix. "I believe that the Frasers are Scotch _ab origine_ and repeat that I consider the name to be Gaelic and older than the arms, which were canting arms, such as we have a royal example of as early as the time of Louis VII. (of 1180), who covered the shield of France with blue, the tincture of his royal robes, and then charged the same with lilies, derived originally from Isis, formerly worshipped in France.