Obs. Also 6 -fesaunce, 7 -fes-, -fais-, -faysance. [ad. F. contrefaisance, f. contrefaisant, pr. pple. of contrefaire to counterfeit: see next and -ANCE.] The action of counterfeiting: deceit, dissimulation, fraud, imposture.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. viii. 49. Duessa, when her borrowed light Is laid away, and counterfesaunce knowne.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., 284. All was hypocrisie and counterfeisance.
1641. Maisterton, Serm., 19. What tricking and counterfesance to delude the sense.
1656. Trapp, Comm. Matt. xxvii. (1868), 279/1. He scorns that such base counterfaisance should be found in his followers.
