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

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

Surples, Surplice, n. Also: surpleis, -is, -us, -ace. Pl. also surplechis, surplethis, surpillis. [ME and e.m.E. surplis (c1290) surplice (c1325), surples (14th c.), surplys (Chaucer), sulliperes (1440-1), serppelys (1509), surpells (1566), OF sorpeliz, surpliz, surplis (12th c., c1190 and 1379 in Larousse), f. as Superpellice n.]

1. A surplice.sing. c1420 Wynt. i 1050 (W).
Thre hundreth bischopis … Revestit in surples and caip 1447 Cart. S. Giles 78.
I oblis me … at I salbe with surplice … on festiale dais at matyns, hee mes and euyn sang 1490 Acta Conc. I 176/2.
Ane mantill price v s. ane surplis price x s. 1501 Treas. Acc. II 52.
For … lynnyn claith to be ane sark and ane surplis to Ambros Muncreif [chapel chorister], vj s. vj d. 1520 Peebles Chart. 51.
He sall … compeir wyth his brethir chaplanis of the said kirk in the quer with his surples, all … halydayis, he beand at the lest ane plain sangstar 1604 Chron. Perth 70.
[He] would wear an surplice and an four nooket bonnet 1608 Melvill 764.
A law or injunctioune for the use of the surpleis in devyne service 1632 Chron. Perth 33.
[The] bischop of Murray preichit … in Sanct Jeillis Kirk, with the surples on him, and the Englishe service red at the latrone be Inglis men 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 227.
Surplace 16… Anal. Scot. II 103.
But, pray my Lord, did you not blush When ye put on the white surpluspl. 1503 Treas. Acc. II 256.
Lynyn to be surplisses to the Gray Freris 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 412.
Sex bernis of the queir in thair honest surplesis to conueyne at ane alter in the cathedrall kyrk of Auld Aberdene 1562 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 80.
Certane preistis … with quhit laun surplechis upone thame 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 234.
Presentlie our bischopis teachis in surplethis 1662 Nicoll Diary 365.
The 2 archebischops went to the church … clothed in thair quhyte surplechis under thair blak gownes 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 10.
Then came the chanoins of the Church of Sainct Croix in their white surplices above their black gounes and their 4 nooked capsuninfl. pl. 1502 Treas. Acc. II 158.
To the wif that making [sic] the Gray Freris abbis and surplis, in part of payment of thir gere making 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 20 Oct.
All thir chapellanis sall sitt in the queyr with thar surples on thaim 1609 Hume 177/419.
The preheminence of byschopes, their surplus, their organes, their lightis, [etc.] 1633 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 693.
All inferiour clergiemen … when the reid divyne service … shall wear ther surplis, and if they be doctours, ther tippettis over them(b) 1522 Perth Hammermen 19.
Item deliverit to Davie Fyvie for the making of the tane of the surpillis

2. transf. A loose or ample garment.In the quot. Makc. MS xiii 39, L. sagana (= a female soothsayer, a witch) seems to have been confused with sagum or sagus a coarse woollen blanket or mantle; a garment, or sagulum a small military cloak. 1488 Treas. Acc. I 85.
The surples of the robe riall c1500 Makc. MS xiii 39.
Hec sagana, surplis 1576 Edinb. Test. IV 186b.
I leve my almus surples & huid … to my intrant 1460 Hay Alex. 4602.
In quhite surplis gar all the pepill ga