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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sampil(l, n. Also: -yll(e, -ell, -le, sawmpyll; semple. [ME and e.m.E. sample (Cursor M.), saumple (Wyclif), sampill (15th c.), etc., aphetic f. Ensample or Example.]

1. A fact, instance, story, etc., used to illustrate, confirm or support a proposition, principle or truth; an exemplum. a1400 Leg. S. xvi 43.
For mar is mercy than mysded … Bot a sampil I set certane That fel in the Magdalane [etc.] Ib. l 224.
Thane sad the king, ‘ … me think thu wald … Tak ws in gyrne dissatfully Thru samplis of philosophy' c1420 Wynt. i 171.
On quhat wys To God thai made thair sacrifice, Abell wytht gude devotioune, Kayin with indignatyoune … Bot the sawmpyll [C. exampill, W. ensampill] is rycht fellowne, Quha doys noucht wytht devotyoune Hys det to God [etc.] 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 128.
The assise was wont to ramayn throu thir mony causis, a sampil as thus, gif it be said fra the tennand [etc.] c1450-2 Howlat 960 (A).
I may be sampill [B. sample] here eft That pryde neuer ȝit left His feir but a fall a1500 Henr. Fab. 2972.
I left the laif [sc. of the narrative] vnto the freiris To mak a sample or similitude a1500 Bernardus 47.
For it is sene and saide in sampylle batht Slewthe and delay oft causis mekyl skatht c1475 Wall. v 647.
Rycht hard it is amendis for to get At anys off thaim [sc. foes] and wyrk the obserwance Quhilk langis luff. … Sampill I haif; this me forthinkis sar a1500 Seven S. 404.
Wald ȝe resoun knaw Ane suth sample I sall ȝow schawe Ib. 960, etc.
This samyn sample beis on ȝow sene a1500 Quare Jel. 380.
And oft thareof cummith mischance … Quhareof I coud ane hundreth samplis tell c1500 Makc. MS v 9.
Thow seis thi sampil eueril[k]day, And thow tak heid … Quhow sone that thow may pas away 15.. Dunb. App. ii 33.
Quhairto sowld I thir sampillis say? Thow hes sene mo than I can tell Off lordis [etc.] a1570-86 Maitl. F. 252/23.
Thair is no gle with sic ane gest Oft syis sayis the sampill swa In baill be blyth for that is best

b. A fact, instance, etc., which may serve as a warning to others.To tak sampill, to heed a warning of this kind. a1400 Leg. S. i 595.
In sampill of ewill dede To wekit dede I sall ȝow lede c1460 Regim. Princ. 175 (Maitl.).
Wald thow tak sampill be thir auld storyis How mony princeis war perreist in this wys a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 15.
Sen thow sic sampillis seyis ilk day c1475 Wall. vi 403.
On thé sall fall the fyrst part off thir harmys, Sampill to geyff till all thi fals natioune Ib. xi 834.
Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beyn For cowatice put in gret paynys fell

2. a. A small amount of a commodity taken or presented as a specimen of the whole, or given as a bonus in addition to the whole. 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. I 191.
The vittell byaris of the merkat scattis thame grytlie in taking of sampillis, scheytschakkingis, and sic oder ewill vsit custum Ib.
Thair tollar … to mett and resaif the malt … and that na sampill nor scheytschakin be gewin nor takin thairof 1561 Ib. 335. 1667 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 12 (1 March).
[He went to the Nun Mylne] quhair ther was certaine shilling and poyndit ane semple theroff 1702 Seafield Corr. 353.
Thy complened that it [sc. bear] was not so weall dighted as the sampell was

b. A specimen (of goods stolen). 1658 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1912) 11.
The said John Hardie … to be broucht to the mercatt croce of Hawick … and to stand thereupoun with the sampell of the stouth upoun his shouldours or ells ane paper upoun his breist or foirhead to declare the fact

3. Conduct viewed as an object for imitation. a1400 Leg. S. xiii 54.
His clene lyfe thame sample ga[we] Ib. xxxiii 8.
Nocht anerly thru his techynge Bot erare thru sample geffine, Hou [etc.] c1460 Thewis Wysmen 163.
It war sampill for to gyff Tyll vthir folk, weill fore to leif c1460 Thewis Gud Women 183.
Tak ay sampyll be hir nichtbour a1500 Bernardus 408.
Sic ful women … That can nocht leffe in lykyne … Be this vertew na sampylle may be tane a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. 254/38.
Luik how the barne dois to the moder And tak ȝour sampill be ane vther