Now rare. [f. WITNESS v. + -ER1.] One who witnesses; a witness.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), III. v. 53. Ye lyers forswerers and witnessers of falshede.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. v. 26. Whanne a mater … is witnessid … bi a reuerend … witnesser or denouncer or remembrer (as is God, an Apostil, or a Doctour).
c. 1450. Capgrave, Life St. Gilbert, xxxiv. 110. Þoo cleped þei þe witnesses, or witnesseres,… mad hem to swere þat þei schuld say soth in þat mater.
a. 1483. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 55. They sitte with hym at the bourd of doome … as recorders and witnessers to the trouthe.
c. 1520. Dial. Creatures Moralised, xxii. G iv. A false witnesser.
1554. T. Martin, Traictise Marr. Priests, Z iij. He was nowe so well become a constaunte witnesser of the passion of Christe, that … he gaue an example of an heauenly conuersation vnto all his subiectes.
1658. in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends, Ser. I. (1910), 42. Lyers, and false witnessers.
1665. J. Sergeant, Sure Footing, 19. An Eminent and Knowing Witnesser to Posterity of the Sence and Faith of the Church.
1874. W. P. Mackay, Grace & Truth, 36. The blessed Spirit, the witnesser of Christ.
