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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Larges, n. Also: larges(s)e, -eas; lairges; lerges. [ME. (a 1225) and F. largesse.]

1. Liberality, generosity, as a virtue or personal quality. 1375 Barb. x. 288.
He hyet honor and larges a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 989.
In Goddis larges assouerand c1420 Wynt. ix. 85.
Comendit he wes gretumly Of wyt, wertew, and larges 1456 Hay I. 300/11.
For to geve … giftis our mesure … is nocht larges na ȝit liberalitee till a prince na callit vertu Ib. II. 64/17.
The vertues beforesaid of … humilitee, larges and lawtee Ib. 81/5, etc. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 182/20.
Larges relevis & succouris a man, and scarsnes interditis nobilite 1535 Stewart 2265.
In his dais rang … Larges and luk, honour and honestie a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 50.
I luif larges and liberalitie Ȝit povertie to spend dois mak me spair

2. The liberal, bountiful or lavish bestowal of gifts. 1375 Barb. xx. 224 (E).
I thank yow gretly, lord, … Off mony larges and gret bounte That yhe haff done me felsys c1420 Wynt. v. 873.
He excedyt off largeas All thai that before hym was 1456 Hay I. 300/5.
For a prince … that can nocht put mesure in his larges, to be wys in largesse, and in all his othir dedis of vertu, he is comptit nocht wys Ib. II. 58/33.
In larges of giftis, he had ever the hand opyn Ib. 63/5. Ib. 82/37.
Fule larges a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 423.
For na largese my lord noght wil he neuer let, Na for na riches to rigne c1515 Asl. MS. I. 181/29.
Thar is nathing tynt that larges dispendis a1568 Bann. MS. 26 b/55.
With gudis and plenteus lerges c1590 Fowler II. 115/1.
Contenuing also in that excessiue largesse and not moderating his liberalitie

3. The ceremonial bestowal of gifts by persons of rank on New Year's Day and other occasions of rejoicing. b. Chiefly, the cry, by heralds or others, saluting such a gift.Freq. to cry Larges (also, ane larges).(a) 1494 Loutfut MS. 42 a f.
Herrauldis ande pursewantis suld knaw quhen thai ar with princis and gret lordis how thai suld cry thair thair largesse the quhilkis ar cryit at gret festis and the largesse suld be criyt at the dennair quhen the second cours and the entremais ar seruit c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxi. 1.
Now lufferis cummis with larges lowd 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV. 325.
To Ilay herold, in the name of the officiaris of armez, for thair crying larges one New Ȝeir day, deliverit eftir the auld … use, x Franch crounis 1512 Ib. 340.
To the heroldis for thair largese at Pasche, x Franch crounis c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. lxxxii. 20.
Off Halie Crose the abbot ȝing … I gat na les na dewill a thing For larges of this New Ȝeir day 15.. Clar. iv. 1365.
To the heralds in grit quantitie He gave of gold and silver full largelie [etc.] … Thay cryit Larges he on height Of Sir Clariodus Ib. v. 1821.
King Amandur and King Palexis Rewairdit heralds with gold and grit riches; They cryit Larges all the hall about Ib. 2457. 1570 Leslie 265.
[At the marriage of the Dauphin to Mary Queen of Scots at Notre Dame] the herauldis crying with loude voces thrie sindre tymes Larges, casting to the people gret quantitie of … conye(b) 15.. Clar. v. 1627.
The heralds and minstrellis that thair wes, Thay all full loudlie did thair cry Lairges Of the most royall prince Clariodus That gave them gyfts mightie and pretious 1602 Treas. Acc. MS. 141.
Cassin amangis the pepill the day of the baptisme … in name of lairges lxvi li. xiij s. iiij d.(c) c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 95 b, heading.
Lerges, lerges, lerges ay, Lerges of this New Ȝeirday Id. Ib. 1.
First lerges [of] the King my cheife Quhilk … in my hand sled schillingis tway To put his lergnes to preif For lerges of this New Ȝeirday Ib. 96 a/31; etc.
Now lerges of my lordis all … My self sall euir sing and say a1586 Lindsay MS. 44.
Thai may not failȝe to cry ane lerges

4. Freedom, liberty. At one's larges, at larges : cf. Large a. 11 a.(1) 1375 Barb. v. 428.
He chesit forthward to travale, Quhar he mycht at his larges be Ib. vii. 378.
[They] Saw how … the Kyng thar men had slane, That at his larges wes all fre c1400 Troy-bk. i. 179.
It nedis ȝe sete ȝour schype to flude And at ȝour larges thar ȝe be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2845.
Ane hole thay gat … Wan to the gold, at larges quhair it lay(2) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. clxxxi.
[To my larges that I am cumin agayn Ib. clxxxiii.]
Quho may … haue more plesance Than cum to largesse from thraldom

5. Spaciousness. = Largenes n. 2. c1420 Wynt. i. 385 (C).
[Noah's ark] Thocht on hicht it narow wes Vnder round of mare larges [E.² largnes] Ib. vii. 878 (Au, E²).
[Swyk a cloystyr as than was,] As now was nocht of lairges