Final answer:
William's father sought parish relief during a famine but was told to sell his sheep for food; historically, famines often resulted in severe measures for survival, including theft and begging.
Step-by-step explanation:
During times of drought and food shortage, desperate actions were taken to ensure survival. Among these, William's father faced the humiliation of asking for relief from the parish, only to be reminded that he should sell his own sheep to buy bread. In some historical accounts, leadership decisions led to dire situations where food supplies ran extremely low, prompting rash actions such as theft and resulting in dire consequences like executions. Throughout history, similar crises forced people to ration, beg, steal, and even resort to cannibalism during severe famines.