Though the nation generally was without any ill talent to the Church, either in the point of the doctrine or the discipline, yet they were not without a jealousy that Popery was not enough discountenanced.—Clarendon, History of the Rebellion, b. i. c. 194.
Tall. [This word occurs in earlier English with a great variety of meanings. A very common meaning is seemly, fine, elegant; for examples see Oliphant’s New English (index). In old plays it often meant valiant, brave, great (Halliwell). In the Complaint of Mars ‘talle’ occurs, apparently in the sense of obedient, docile (see Skeat, Minor Poems of Chaucer, iv. 38). The word in the sense of lofty in stature may perhaps be distinct from the above ‘tall’; at any rate the modern sense of tall seems to be the primary one in the Welsh and Cornish tal, high. See Skeat’s Dictionary.]
Tal, or semely, Decens, elegans.—Promptorium.
He [the Earl of Richmond’s] companions being almost in despair of victory were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley, which came to succours with three thousand tall men.—Grafton, Chronicle.
Tamburlaine. Where are my common soldiers now, that fought
So lionlike upon Asphaltis’ plains?
Soldier. Here, my lord.
Tamburlaine. Hold ye, tall soldiers, take ye queens apiece.
Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great, part ii. act iv. sc. 4.
He [Prince Edward] would proffer to fight with any mean person, if cried up for a tall man.—Fuller, Holy War, b. iv. c. 29.