A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Gentrice, Gentris(e, n. Also: gentryce, -rys, -res, -reis. [ME. gentrise, genterise (a 1225), OF. genterise, var. of gentelise, -esse.] The character or behaviour natural to one of gentle birth or rank.(a) a1400 Leg. S. l. 794.
For thi gret beute & thi wit, & thi gret gentrice sammyn knyt c1400 Troy-bk. i. 319.
The noble king, that neuir-mare Forȝhet wald hys inborne gentryce [L. nobilitatis gracie] c1475 Wall. viii. 1456.
Your gret gentrice … sall neuir be for nocht 1498 Reg. Morton II. 253.
The said Thomas … for this gentrice and kyndnes foirsaid done til him … has forgiven ane hundreth merkis 1513 Doug. xi. iii. 60.
Quhidder sall I fyrst extoll … Thy gret gentryce and sa just equyte? 1549 Compl. 144/3.
There is nocht ane sperk of nobilnes nor gentrice amang the maist part of ȝou a1578 Pitsc. I. 109/15.
That I be nocht … excludit fre the fruit of thy gentrice … nor denyit of thy humanitie(b) a1400 Leg. S. xlii. 111.
It is swferane mast gentrise [L. ingenuitas] To Jhesu Crist to mak serwice 1456 Hay II. 38/2.
A man of a new sprongyn lygnye … honourable and worthy in all gentrise a1500 Rauf C. 368.
It is not my counsall … To do ȝou in his gentrise c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 165.
Scho led wyth hir … Discretioun, Gentrise, and Considerance 1596 Dalr. II. 327/22.
The quene … steirit vp thair hartes meikle to that gentrise [L. generositatem] quhairwith tha war inclynet(c) c1420 Wynt. 5138.
He wes … mast renownyd off bownte, Off gentrys and off honeste ?1438 Alex. I. 3274.
Thay wenit that the knicht of prys Sould thare haue endit his gentrys 1456 Hay I. 140/5.
Gif the King … of his courtasy, his gentris and his kyndenes has sent [etc.] c1475 Wall. iii. 274.
Gentrys and trewtht ay restis him within Ib. v. 598.
[She was] Curtas and swete, fulfillyt of gentrys 1513 Doug. x. viii. 130.
Of my gentrys, wil he be preservit To all estait and honour funerall 1549 Compl. 128/32.
I meruel that thai consider nocht the gentris & genologe of kyng Dauid(d) 1535 Stewart 18449.
The gem of gentres in his tyme wes he Ib. 20270.
So large he wes, … So meik also and full of gentreis 1549 Compl. 128/15.
Thai vil nocht consider that al thair gentreis hes procedit … fra me Ib. 147/15.
Tha var degradit fra there nobilite and fra there gentreis
