Francis Sempill

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Francis Sempill (1616? – March 1682) was a son of Robert Sempill the younger.

No details of his education are known. His fidelity to the Stuarts involved him in money difficulties, to meet which he alienated portions of his estates to his son. Before 1677 he was appointed sheriff-depute of Renfrewshire. He died at Paisley in March 1682.

Sempill wrote many occasional pieces, and his fame as a wit was widespread. Among his most important works is the Banishment of Poverty, which contains some biographical details. The Blythsome Wedding, long attributed to Francis Sempill, has been more recently asserted to be the work of Sir William Scott of Thirlestane.

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.

"Maggie Lauder" is still fairly well known in Scotland, it has been performed by The Corries and Dick Gaughan.

v t e Scots makars

c. 1370 – c. 1460	John Barbour Huchoun James I Sir Gilbert Hay Andrew of Wyntoun Richard Holland

c. 1460 – c. 1560	Blind Hary Robert Henryson Walter Kennedy William Dunbar Gavin Douglas David Lyndsay William Stewart

c. 1560 – 17th century	Alexander Scott Alexander Montgomerie James VI Castalian Band William Fowler Alexander Hume Robert Sempill Robert Sempill the younger Francis Sempill

18th century – 20th century	Allan Ramsay Robert Fergusson Robert Burns Robert Louis Stevenson Alicia Ann Spottiswoode William Soutar Robert Garioch Sydney Goodsir Smith Tom Scott George Campbell Hay Alexander Scott Hamish Henderson William Neill

Official appointment (from 2004)	Edwin Morgan Liz Lochhead

Persondata
Name	Sempill, Francis
Alternative names
Short description	Scottish writer
Date of birth	1616
Place of birth
Date of death	1682
Place of death

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Francis Sempill

Further reading