However, word had spread and the Mauchline Kirk recalled her on 10 June 1786, to admit that she was unmarried and pregnant and to confirm the name of the baby's father.

His letters from this period indicate that he intended to marry Jean Armour as soon as they realised she was pregnant, but had been discouraged by her reluctance to disobey her father's disapproval of the union.

Additionally, at this point, Burns was romantically involved with 'Highland' Mary Campbell (1763–1786), who was also allegedly pregnant by him, and was considering a move to Jamaica.

Believing that he was about to abscond, James Armour issued a warrant against him and Burns effectively went into hiding that summer – staying at the home of his aunt, the mother of his successful first cousin, Alexander Allan – when coincidentally his first volume of poetry, commonly called the "Kilmarnock Edition" was published.

In the light of Burns's new-found celebrity as a poet, James Armour relented and allowed his daughter to be married to him.

Although their marriage was registered on 5 August 1788 in Mauchline, the parish records describe them as having been "irregularly married some years ago".

Jean Armour and Robert Burns had nine children together (he had at least another four by other women), the last of whom was born on the day of his funeral in July 1796.

[2] Her widowhood and the straitened circumstances in which she found herself after Burns's death attracted national attention, and a charitable fund was collected for her and the children.

Twenty years after his death, his fame had reached such a point that his remains were removed from their modest grave in St Michael's Kirkyard, Dumfries, and placed in a specially commissioned mausoleum.

[3] Burns commented on her reading his published works in addition to the Bible, and it is known that she did suffer intermittent paralysis a few years before her death in 1834.

[5] Strong evidence for her literacy is indicated through Burns mentioning that he had received correspondence from Jean and in particular he wrote to her in 1788, thanking her in loving terms for a letter written to him.