To  gentilnesse,  be  incident  thre  speciall  quaUties,  affabilitie,
placabihtie,  and  mercy ;  of  whom  I  will  nowe  seperately
declare  the  propre  significations.  Affabilitie  is  of  a  wonderfull
efficacie  or  power  in  grocurynge^que.  And  it  is  in  sondry
wise,  but  moste  proprely,  where  a  man  is  facile  or  easie  to
be  spoken  unto.  It  is  also  where  a  man  speakethe  courtaisely,
with  a  swete  speche  or  countenance,  wherwith  the  herers  (as
it  were  with  a  delicate  odour)  be  refresshed,  and  alured  to
loue  hym  in  whom  is  this  most  delectable  qualitie.   .   ..
ELacabilitie  is  no  litle  part  of  Benignitie,  and  it  is  proprely
where  a  man  is  by  any  occasion  meued  to  be  angry,  and,
natwithstandynge,  either  by  his  owne  reason  ingenerate,  or
by  counsaile  persuaded,  he  omitteth  to  be  reuenged,  and
often  times  receiueth.  the  transgressour  ones  reconsiled  in  to
more  fauour ;  whiche  undoubtedly  is  a  vertue  wonderfull
excellent.  For,  as  Tulli  saithe,  no  thinge  is  more  to  be  mer-
uailed  at,  or  that  more  becometh  a  man  noble  and  honorable,
than  mercy  and  placabilitie.
1531,  Sir  T.  Elyot,  The  Gouvernour  (ed.  Croft),  vol.  ii,  pp.
38-40,   55.
As  they  be  called  gentle  menne  in  name,  so  they  may  shewe
them  selues  in  al  theyr  doinges  gentle,  curteous,  louyng  .  ..
unto  theyr  inferiours.
1553,  Primer,  Godly  Prayers,  P.  iv,  b.
A  principall  pointe  in  a  Gentleman  is  promes  kepyng,  as
to  bee  Mayster  to  his  woorde  :  wherein  firste  he  ought  to
consider  what  he  promiseth,  for  easy  it  is  to  promes,  but  it
is  oftimes  hard  and  dif&cill  to  perfourme.  .  .  .  Hereupon  are
grounded  these  wordes  of  assurance,  '  Bi  the  faithe  of  a  Gen-
tleman ',  which  faith  in  euery  Gentleman  ought  to  be  the
sure  perfourmaunce   of  that  which  he  promiseth.
