Both Uses

forbearance
in
Wuthering Heights
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'I've been so far forbearing with you, sir,' he said quietly; 'not that I was ignorant of your miserable, degraded character, but I felt you were only partly responsible for that; and Catherine wishing to keep up your acquaintance, I acquiesced — foolishly.†
p. 83.1

forbearing = refraining (holding back) from acting
Still, he didn't molest her: for which forbearance she might thank his aversion, I suppose.†
p. 133.4 *

forbearance = refraining (holding back) from acting OR patience, tolerance, or self-control

Definitions:

(1) (forbearance)
patient tolerance or self-control; or holding back from taking action or enforcing a right

Today, the word, forbearance, is most commonly seen in the field of law to indicate that a legal right, claim or privilege is not being enforced.
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
The form, forbears is typically a verb, but can be an alternate spelling of the noun forebears; i.e., ancestors. Note that these words put the emphasis on different syllables: for-BEARS v. FORE-bears