Barons Reid-Robertson of Straloch

THE FAMILY OF STRALOCH. 33
He considered his father's temper and that he
was now married to his second wife, who pro-
bably would have but little concern for the
family, if she got herself and children provided
for ; he therefore, trusting in God, took on him
the management of all affairs, and left his
father to enjoy himself and his liferent with
peace and ease. He was a man of the meekest
and most peaceable temper imaginable. I do
not remember ever to have seen him angry,
or out of temper, except any of his sons, while
boys, would do anything out of the way, and
were truly censurable, in that case he would
whip them severely ; but otherwise he was of
such a calm and sweet temper, that I dare not
say that ever I saw him in any disorder or
express himself with anything like wrath or
vehemence. Yet he was a man of abundance
of courage, boldness, and resolution when oc-
casion offered, of which I shall give an instance
or two.
It is true that, by reason of his lady's indis-
position, he excused himself in 1678 from going
upon the wicked expedition of the highland
host sent to destroy the western shires ; nor
did he think it good to go to Bothwell Bridge
next year. Yet he could not shun going to
Argyleshire in 1685, against the Earl of that