[f. SUMPTUOUS + -NESS.] The condition or quality of being sumptuous; costliness and magnificence of living, production, equipment, construction or maintenance.
c. 1530. L. Cox, Rhet. (1899), 67. The sumptuousnes of the women of Rome.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 13. The Turke … commaunded a greate nauie of shippes with greate sumptuousnes to bee furnished.
1573. Bridges, Suprem. Chr. Princes, 479. Many carued Images … with great sumptuousnesse and coste, were sette vp.
a. 1628. F. Greville, Sidney (1652), 208. Ballancing the he sloth or sumptuousnesse of her great Stewards, and white staves, with the providence, and reservednesse of a Lord Treasurer.
1676. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiogr., xi. (1848), 335. There was most superfluous sumptuousness used at his burial.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, I. vi. (1699), 62. The sumptuousness of his Palaces.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 99, ¶ 5. He raised a house, equal in sumptuousness to that of the vizier.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. iv. 58. The royal progresses … were … pageants of no small sumptuousness.
