What is "gentil"

Usage examples of "gentil".

I would conduct myself like a Parfit Gentil Knight, but before he could speak we heard suddenly the most lovely sound of a viola da gamba, coming, it seemed, from beneath us in my Music Room.

Looke who that is moost vertuous alway, Pryvee and apert, and moost entendeth ay To do the gentil dedes that he kan, Taak hym for the grettest gentil-man.

Til at the laste aslaked was his mood, For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.

But atte laste speken she bigan, And mekely she to the sergeant preyde, So as he was a worthy gentil man, That she moste kisse hire child, er that it deyde, And in hir barm this litel child she leyde, With ful sad face, and gan the child to kisse, And lulled it, and after gan it blisse.

For thogh they yeve us al hir heritage, For which we clayme to been of heigh parage, Yet may they nat biquethe for no thyng To noon of us hir vertuous lyvyng, That made hem gentil men ycalled be, And bad us folwen hem in swich degree.

I pray to God so save thy gentil cors, And eek thyne urynals and thy jurdanes, Thyn ypocras and eek thy Galianes And every boyste ful of thy letuarie, God blesse hem, and oure lady Seinte Marie!

And after that she of hir swough gan breyde, Right ibn hir hsukes ledene thus she seyde: "That pitee renneth soone in gentil herte, Fellynge his similitude in peynes smerte, Is preved al day, as men may it see, As wel by werk as by auctoritee.

Now sire, of elde ye repreve me, And certes, sire, thogh noon auctoritee Were in no book, ye gentils of honour Seyn, that men sholde an oold wight doon favour, And clepe hym fader for youre gentillesse, And auctours shal I fynden, as I gesse.

This Alla kyng hath swich compassioun, As gentil herte is fulfild of pitee, That from hise eyen ran the water doun.

Thanne semed me ther was a parlement At Atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas, Among the whiche pointz yspoken was To have with certein contrees alliaunce, And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce, For which this noble Theseus anon Leet senden after gentil Palamon, Unwist of hym what was the cause and why.

This gentil kyng hath caught a greet motyf Of this witnesse, and thoghte he wolde enquere Depper in this, a trouthe for to lere.

A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple, Of which achatours myghte take exemple For to be wise in byynge of vitaille.