† myneyeplen.
Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: many adj., a adj., ply n.
Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps  <  many adj. + a adj. + ply n. Compare manyplies n.The pairing of the word with mail n.3   suggests that it describes the multilayered soft fabric armour (compare acton n., gambeson n.) worn under a coat of mail. T. Percy in his edition of the text cited in quot. c1560   (see  Reliques (1765) I. 338) glosses myne-ye-ple   as ‘perhaps Many-plies, or, folds’. R. Lambe in his edition (see  Exact Hist. Battle of Floddon (1774) 70) notes ‘Monyple, a N.C. word’, and glosses ‘they struck down straight many sterne,..through rich coat of mail, and many folds’. However, the form of the word in both the manuscript and quot. c1560   suggests an additional word or particle between many   and ply  . W. W. Skeat in his edition of the text cited in quot. c1560   (see  Spec. Eng. Lit. (ed. 4, 1887) 516/2)) suggests as an alternative etymology a derivation  <  Middle French manuple (1482), manople (1576) gauntlet (spec. sense of maniple  : see maniple n.; compare Italian manopolo vambrace (a1563)).
 Obsolete.
c1560    Hunting Cheviot in  F. J. Child  		(1889)	 III.  vi. 308  				Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple [MS Ashm. 48 myne ye ple], Many sterne the strocke done streght.
c1650						 (a1500)						     		(Percy)	 		(1933)	 278  				Through rich many & myny plee the red blood blemished both their blee.
 This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online September 2021).