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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Simpilnes, Sempilnes, n. Also: simpylnes, sympilnes, -ilenes, -ylnes, simplenes(se, sempillnes, sempilneis, sampelyllneys. [ME and e.m.E. sympilnes, symplenes(se (all Wyclif), simplenes (1526); Simpill adj.]

1. Innocence; lack of guile or duplicity. Cf. Simpill adj. 1.Boyd and Buch. Wr. quots. may belong in sense 3.(a) 1456 Hay I 284/3.
Quhyte colour … is signifyit to the vertu of puritee of clenes and innocence and sympilnes c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. viii 2.
We mak knawne to you the grace of God that is gevin in the kirkis of Macedonie that in mekile assaying of tribulatioun … the hiest pouert of thame was plenteous into the richessis of sympilnes [W., P. symplenesse] of thame c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom.xii 8.
Sympilenes c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 72.
To pray the God of heav'n Mee to direct, that by her promises And beautie she gull not my simplenesse(b) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 43.
Quhyte quhilk is takin to … signifie sempilnes and loyaltie 1563-1570 Buch.Wr. 48.
Seing that the quenis craftines wes abill … to ouerthraw the erll of Murrays sempilnes

2. Lowliness. Cf. Simpill adj. 2. a1568 Scott vi 23
So thocht my lyking wer a leddy And I no lord, ȝit … Scho suld my serwyce find als reddy As duke to duches … For as prowd princely luve expres Is to haif souerenitie So serwice cumis of sympilnes And leilest lufe of law degre

3. Lack of learning; ignorance; foolishness; lack of sophistication, naivety. Cf. Simpill adj. 7. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1113.
The bischope thane wonderit was Of thare wnwit & simpilnes c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 51.
Hawande excusyde my sympylnes 1456 Hay I 297/13.
Quhare wis men are kingis, happy ar the realmes. … It is nocht spedefull till a realme to have a symple king na a nyce; for dignitee ryall with nycetee na sympilnes accordis nocht wele togeder; for grete honour efferis wele to be governyt and sterit be grete witt

b. My simpilnes, my humble, or simple, self; in letters, etc., as a self-deprecatory mode of referring to oneself. Also thair sempilnes, and in transf. use thy simpylnes.The Wynt. example may be a further instance of b.(1) 1515 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 45.
As for my simplenes your lordschip may remembir and reward as your lordschip thinkis 1527 Douglas Corr. 118.
For the greit kyndnes … ȝour hienes has done and daly dois randir unto my simpilnes (my meritis nocht sua deserving) 1527 Douglas Corr. 118.
The samin hes directit divers lettres unto the kingis hienes … and to my simpilnes, for the apprehensioune of Schir William Lisle 1527 Douglas Corr. 123.
For the speciall favour my simpilnes beris to the service of the kingis hienes 1527 Douglas Corr. 343.
[Patrick Sinclair to Wolsey.] Besekand ȝour grace to apperdone my simpilnes that I am sa planne in my writingis, bot the luf … I have to my maister … constrenit my hand to writ familiary, nocht regarding my awine simpilnes as I awcht to do 1531 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 365.
Insafer as his hienes gaif command and power to my sympilnes at my first incuming to his graice at Striveling 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 76.
And gif we be fundin honest men … your grace will defend our honest querelis as accordis, and to be to my simpilnes as my gud maisteres 1544 Misc. Maitl. C. IV 103.
The grit gudnes shawit to my simpilnes be your Hynes a1568 Bann. MS 248b/13.
Vnto ȝour pes to tak my sympilnes It wald incres ȝour honour evir mair(b) 1490 Irland Mir. I 83/18.
For the honour of God and of thi hienes, and luf that my sempilnes beris to thé c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 71/21.
My sempillnes [STS sympilnes] amang the laiff Wait off na way sa God me saiff 1527 Douglas Corr. 343.
Maist humlie beseking ȝour hienes till … ressave my sempilneis in favour 1528 Douglas Corr. 344.
To call to remembrance the faithefull service, lawlie obediance and grete offoris … that my sempilnes hes maid … unto ȝour heines 1544 Bk. Carlaverock II 29.
Upon seylk wrang raport is hays beyn maid apon my sampelyllneys and cowm to the heyrin off heys Maysstye, maid be swm Scottis men, my onffrendes 1545 St. P. Henry VIII V 411.
I durst nocht be so bauld as to vrayt one to ȝour Mageste, for I vos informit that ȝe vore so displesit at my sempilnes 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I 47.
[Pardon my] sempilnes that faschis your lordship with my poor business(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 369.
Persauing … the kyndnes That he had schawin vnto thair sempilnes Thay thankit himtransf. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 19.
Thov lytil quair … I nott quhome to thy simpylnes to sende