Obs. [f. AUTHENTIC a. + -NESS.] Authentic quality; authenticity.
1. Authoritativeness, authority: = AUTHENTICITY 1.
1629. Donne, Serm., xxiv. 238. Another manner of credit and authentiquenesse then that which the Canonists speak of.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., iii. (1669), 286/2. Who will say that the Proclamation of a Prince hath its authentickness from the Piller it hangs on in the Market Cross?
2. = AUTHENTICITY 2, 3.
1634–46. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 479. Sundrie old papers … that did verie much prove to the authenticknes of the old registers of the Kirk.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, III. ii. (1723), 180. The Authentickness of the Mosaick Writings.
1709. W. Smith, in Thoresby’s Corr., II. 171. Who vouch for the credit and authenticness of that which is usually called Chapernay’s Charter.
1743. M. Tomlinson, Prot. Birthr., 18. A diligent Search into the Authentickness, Veracity, and Sense of the sacred Writings.
