SEMPILL  , the name of a Scottish

family long seated in Renfrewshire . An early member, Sir Thomas Sempill (d . 1488), was killed whilst fighting for James III. at the battle of Sauchieburn, and his son John (d . 1513), who was made a lord of parliament about 1489, fell at Flodden . John's grandson, Robert, 3rd Lord Sempill (c . 1505–1572), assisted the Scottish regent, Mary of Lorraine, in her struggle with the lords of the congregation, and was afterwards one of the partisans of Mary, queen of Scots; about 1566, however, he deserted the queen, against whom he fought at Carberry Hill and at Langside . His grandson, Robert (d . 1611), became the 4th Lord Sempill, and another grandson was Sir James Sempill of Beltrees (q.v.) . The title of Lord Sempill descended to Francis, the 8th lord (d . 1684), who was succeeded by his sister Anne (d . 1695), the wife of Francis Abercromby (d . 1703), who was created a peer for life as Lord Glassford .

Their sons, Francis, John and

Hugh, who took the surname of Sempill, succeeded in turn to the title . Hugh, 12th Lord Sempill (d . 1746), fought in Spain and in Flanders, and held a command in the English army at Culloden; in 1747 he was made colonel of the Black Watch . His title descended to Selkirk Sempill, the 15th lord (1788–1835), who was succeeded by his sister, Maria Janet (179o.1884) . She was succeeded by a cousin, William Forbes (1836–1905), a descendant of the 13th lord, who took the name of Forbes-Sempill; in 1905 his son, John Forbes-Sempill (b . 1863), became the 18th lord . A certain Robert Sempill, who served James Edward, the Old Pretender, in France, and is described as a captain in Dillon's famous Irish regiment, was created Lord Sempill by this prince after 1723 . This circumstance has given rise to a certain amount of confusion between the different holders of the title .