Forms: 4– credence; also 4–5 credance, 5 -aunce, -ans, 5–6 -ens(e, 6 credennce, creddence, -ens). [a. F. crédence or ad. med.L. crēdentia believing, belief, f. crēdĕre to believe, etc.: see -ENCE.]
1. The mental action of believing or accepting as true; belief. To give credence to: to accept (a statement, etc.), or accept the statement of (a person, etc.), as true; to believe, credit.
1382–8. Wyclif, Isa., Prol. 226. To ȝyue credence to goodis bihiȝt.
1430. Paston Lett., No. 14, I. 30. My clerke, to wham I prey yow to gyue feith and credence touchant this matier.
1529. Rastell, Pastyme Brit. (1811), 109. A man of lyght credence beleuyng euery furst tale.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus iii. 2. Thou maist not giue credence to so slender a testimony.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 436. A new printed Bill of a famous Physitian … shall gain more Credence than the most learned Lecture.
1786. Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 204. Instructions, to which it seems credence was to be given.
1879. Dixon, Windsor, II. v. 46. Charles had given him credence as a man of truth.
b. That which is believed; a belief.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, V. xvii. Grey-hair’d eld A superstitious credence held.
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, I. i. 36. The strife and conflict of opposite credences.
† 2. Trust, faith, confidence in, reliance on (a person or authority). Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 249. He may best a man beguile In whom the man hath most credence.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. viii. 13 a/1. We haue credence in God.
1548. Hall, Chron., 242. Who soner deceiveth then he to whom moste credence is attributed?
† 3. The condition of being worthy, or of being held worthy, of confidence; trustworthiness; credit, repute. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 99. That swevens ben of no credence.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiii. 150. Wyse men and men of credence of base cuntreez.
1487. Act 4 Hen. VII., c. 12 § 2. They shall not be in his Favour, but taken as Men out of Credence.
1531–2. Act 23 Hen. VIII., c. 3 § 4. [They] shall neuer after be in any credence, nor their othe accepted.
1685. F. Spence, Ho. Medici, 380. He dispacht away a man of Credence to negociate with them.
1822. Eliza Nathan, Langreath, III. 112. Henrietta almost doubted the credence of her senses.
† b. Comm. = CREDIT sb. 9. Obs.
1500–20. Dunbar, Tidings fr. Session, 34. Sum is put owt of his possessioun; Sum herreit, and on creddens dynis.
1514. Lett., in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. App. iv. 7. At the receipt of [their wages] they pay for meat and drink … had and obtained upon their credence.
1548. Hall, Chron., 212 b. The Merchaunt should stande in adventure, both of losse of stocke and credence.
† 4. Something, usually a document (see b), which gives claim to credit or confidence; credentials; transf. the message with which a messenger or embassy is entrusted. Obs. exc. as in b.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 444. Þow arte fulle servyde … Of cundit and credense, kayre whene the lykes.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, V. ii. Whan themperour Lucyus had wel vnderstonde theyre credence, he was sore meued.
1529. More, Dyaloge, I. Wks. 105/1. A frende of myne sent ones vnto me a secrete sure frende of his, with certayne credence to be declared vnto me.
1649. Milton, Eikon., 184. The King question’d of the Embassadors thir Credence.
1663. Cowley, Pindar. Odes, Plagues Egypt, iii. If from some God you come … What Sign, what Powers, what Credence do you bring?
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, I. 101. That with such credence as prevents delay, He to the King might send me.
b. Letter of credence: a document commending the bearer to confidence; a letter of recommendation or introduction.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 258. Þis letter of credance þei schewed.
1461. Paston Lett., No. 385, II. 5. Suche tydyngs as my Lady of York hath by a lettre of credens.
1548. Hall, Chron., 228. He delivered to the kynge, letters of credence … which willed the king to geve credite and perfait faith to the duke.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 123. Sir Robert Sherley had the Kings Letter of Credence or Firman, to testifie the truth of it.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4821/3. He [an envoy] carries Letters of Credence with him.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), I. viii. 493. Grafigori then asked for a written letter of credence.
† 5. (One’s) charge, trust, care (to which a thing is committed). Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 28 b. Spirituall talentes, whiche our lorde hath deputed to our credence.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. (1887), 138. To commend lyfe and gudes vnto the credence and custodie of the ylandmen.
† 6. The tasting or ‘assaying’ of meats formerly practised in a royal or noble household as a precaution against poisoning. Obs.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 1195, in Babees Bk. (1868), 196. Tastynge and credence longethe to blode & birth royalle. Ibid., 1199. Credence is vsed, and tastynge, for drede of poysenynge.
† b. A ‘company’ of sewers or arrangers of dishes at table. Obs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, F vij a. A Credens of Seweris.
† 7. A side table or sideboard on which vessels and dishes were placed ready for being served at table. Obs. [Cf. med.L. credentia (Du Cange), It. credenza (Florio), F. credence (Cotgr.).]
1565. Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 377. While the Pope is yet sitting at the Table, the noblest man within the Court … shall be brought to the Pope’s Credence to giue him Water.
1834. Beckford, Italy, II. 323. A buffet, or credence, three stories high.
[1882. Shorthouse, J. Inglesant, II. vii. Below and beside these were credenzas and cabinets.]
8. Eccl. In R. C. and Anglican churches: A small side table or shelf on which the eucharistic elements are placed previous to consecration.
[1646. Prynne, Canterb. Doome, 123. Lo here in this place and chapel you have … a Credentia or side-table.]
1841. C. Anderson, Anc. Models, 130. On one side there should be a niche or credence to hold the elements before the oblation.
1845. G. A. Poole, Churches, xi. 114. The introduction and use of the credence are now becoming common in new churches.
1885. Catholic Dict., In ancient times when the oblations were presented by the faithful during Mass, there was not the same necessity for the use of a credence.
b. attrib., as credence-shelf, -table.
1804. Rees, Cycl., Credence Table … a small table placed on the right hand side of the high altar, in Roman Catholic churches, for the purpose of holding several articles made use of in the service of the mass.
1843. Ecclesiologist, II. 56. A Fenestrella with Credence-shelf.
1889. Yorksh. Archæol. Jrnl., X. 556. The recess was probably for a credence table to a chantry.
