Middle English Dictionary Entry
witnesser n.
Entry Info
| Forms | witnesser n. |
| Etymology | From witnessen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. witnes(se n.
1.
(a) Something which provides evidence;
(b) one who attests to the truth of something based on experience, an authority; also, an eyewitness;
(c) one who gives testimony as in a court of law, a witness; also, an official observer;
(d) one who attests belief in the gospel, the Christian faith, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)26 : Whanne a mater or a trouthe is witnessid or affermed or denouncid or mad be remembrid to persoones, and that bi a reuerend and worthi witnesser or denouncer or remembrer (as is God, an Apostil, or a Doctour), thanne thilk witnessing or denouncing or remembraunce making is woned be clepid a grounding of the same mater or trouthe so witnessid.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)448 : He entendid forto chese Mathie…that he myȝte make the same hool noumbre of homeli and experimental witnessers of Cristis deedis.
- (c1456) Pecock Faith (Trin-C B.14.45)126 : The ground and meene, bi which feith is gendrid, is the telling or denouncing of a sure and a trewe witnesser.
b
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)110/9 : Þoo cleped þei þe witnesses, or witnesseres, religious and seculeres, clerkis and lewed men and women, mad hem to swere þat þei schuld say soth in þat mater in whech inqwisicion schuld be mad.
- (1464) Paston2.295 : Maister Clement tellyth me þat Wysseter hath put excepcion on-to your wyttenesseres.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)55 : Styward of Housholde…is judge of lyfe and lymme; and…the Thesaurer, Countroller, Coffyrrer…sitte with hym at the bourd of doome within the houshold, that is, at the greene clothe in the countyng-house, as recorders and witnessers to the trouthe.
c
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)112/10 : Ȝe schullen, er þat tyme come, ben witnessers of myne wordes & of myne dedes…euere til þe endynge of þe werlde.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)117/13 : Who þat euere seiþ or biddiþ biside Goddis wille þat is not proued in holy writ & opunli declarid, he is a false witnesar & doiþ cursid sacrilege.
d
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)354 : Þouȝ appetite into fleischly deede wiþ woman be ofte a tokene of neede or of profijt into þe deede, ȝitt þis appetite is not so alwey such a trewe witnesser…þilk appetite…may come…of pricking fumes and hoot humores in þe priuey fleisch causid bi diet.