Definition of "largess"

[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, […], 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 4 (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 […], 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, […], 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, […], 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, page 570

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, […], stanza I, page 2

In such case, certainly I would accept / Your bounty: better I than alien hearts / Should execute your planned benevolence / To man, your proposed largess to the Church.

1873 January 23, Robert Browning, “Part IV”, in Red Cotton Night-Cap Country: Or Turf and Towers, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], page 256

He [Gabriel Matzneff] was invited to the Élysée Palace by President François Mitterrand and socialized with the far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. He benefited from the largess of the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, the business tycoon Pierre Bergé.

2020 February 11, Norimitsu Onishi, “A pedophile writer is on trial. So are the French elites.”, in The New York Times‎, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, archived from the original on 2023-03-30