(4) My father was sae waik of bluid and bane
That he deit,[78] wherefore my mother made greate mane;
Then she deit within ane day or two,
And there began my poverty and wo.
Our gude grey meir was baitand[79] on the field,
And our land’s laird took her for his heryield.[80]
The vicar took the best cow by the heid
Incontinent, when my father was deid.
And when the vicar heard tell how that my mother
Was deid, fra hand, he took till him the other.