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Francis Sempill (c. 1616 – March 1682) was a Scottish poet, the son ofRobert Sempill the younger.
No details of his education are known. His fidelity to theStuarts involved him in money difficulties, to meet which he alienated portions of his estates to his son. Before 1677 he was appointed sheriff-depute ofRenfrewshire. He died atPaisley in March 1682.[1]
Sempill wrote many occasional pieces, and his fame as a wit was widespread.[2] Among his most important works is theBanishment of Poverty, which contains some biographical details. The Blythsome Wedding, long attributed to Francis Sempill, has been more recently asserted to be the work ofSir William Scott of Thirlestane.[1]
Sempill's claim to the authorship of the celebrated song "She raise and let me in", and of the ballad "Maggie Lauder", has been discussed at considerable length. It seems probable that he had some share in both.[1]
"Maggie Lauder" is still fairly well known in Scotland. It has been performed byThe Corries andDick Gaughan.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Bayne, Thomas Wilson (1897). "Sempill, Francis". InLee, Sidney (ed.).Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 51. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 234–235.Attribution:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sempill, Sir James, Robert and Francis s.v. Francis Sempill".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 632–633.