largess

plural largesses

1. alternativeuncountableusuallyAlternative spelling of largesse.

   I have not lacked thy mild reproof, / Nor golden largess of thy praise, / But life is full of weary days.

   1832 December (indicated as 1833), Alfred Tennyson, “To ——”, in Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, stanza I, page 2

   5 more examples

   [T]here vvas good hope that the ſouldiers ſhould have a largeſs dealt amongſt them out of the Kings Treaſure, and be under the command of Captains of better quality, […]

   1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “[Book XXIV]”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC, page 422

   But vvhere the Plea of the Receivers is equal, and yet the Diſpenſation of the Benefits vaſtly unequal, there Men are taught that the thing received is Grace; and that they have no claim to it, but the courteſy of the Diſpenſer, and the largeſs of Heaven; vvhich cannot be queſtion'd, […]

   1666 January 3 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1698, Robert South, “Jesus of Nazareth Proved the True, and Onely Promised Messiah. In a Sermon Preached at St Mary’s, Oxon. before the University, on Christmas-Day, 1665.”, in Twelve Sermons upon Several Subjects and Occasions, volume III, London: […] Tho[mas] Warren for Thomas Bennet […], →OCLC, page 378

   […] I vvould give them three Days, provided, they vvere vvilling to give the Men a Largeſs, as I had done, in Proportion to their Gain.

   1725, [Daniel Defoe], “Part I”, in A New Voyage Round the World, by a Course Never Sailed before. […], London: […] A[rthur] Bettesworth, […]; and W. Mears, […], →OCLC, page 187

   Yet half mankind maintain a churliſh ſtrife / VVith him, the donor of eternal life, / Becauſe the deed by vvhich his love confirms / The largeſs he beſtovvs, preſcribes the terms.

   1782, William Cowper, “Hope”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 157

   The man to ſolitude accuſtomed long, / Perceives in every thing that lives a tongue; / […] / After long drouht, vvhen rains abundant fall, / He hears the herbs and flovvers rejoicing all: / Knovvs vvhat the freſhneſs of their hue implies, / Hovv glad they catch the largeſs of the skies; […]

   1785, William Cowper, “The Needless Alarm. A Tale.”, in Poems […], London: […] [F]or J[oseph] Johnson, […] by T[homas] Bensley, […], published 1806, →OCLC, page 570