"The envy and jealousy which great riches is always attended with."——Moyle's Essay on Lacedem. Gov. 48.
"In one hour is so great riches come to nought."——Bible.
Here riches is considered in its true light. Notwithstanding this, the termination of the word has led late writers into the opinion, that it is plural; so that we generally see it followed by a plural verb: Should this become the unanimous opinion and a general correspondent practice ensue, riches will be established as a plural, contrary to etymology and ancient usage.
Alms is also in the singular number; being a contraction of the old Norman French, almesse, the plural of which was almesses. So in Chaucer:
"Ye knowen wel that I am poure and olde, Kithe (show) your almesse upon me poure wretche."
Freres Tale, 7190.
"This almesse shouldest thou do of thy propre thinges," &c.—— Vol. 5. p. 217. Bell.
"These ben generally the almesses and werkes of charitie of hem that have temporel richesses."——The same.
Alms is used as a noun singular in the Bible; "To ask an alms." "He gave much alms;" that is, almesse, or charity. The plural of this word is not used.
Largess is a word of this class. It is from the old French largesse; but the idea admits of number, and accordingly we find the plural, largesses, still in use.