▪ I. creance, n.
(ˈkriːəns)
Forms: 4–5 creaunce, (5 -awnce, -auns), 5– creance; also (in sense 4 only) 6 cryaunce, 6–7 -ance, 7 creyance, criance, cryants, cranes.
[ME. a. OF. créance (11th c.), corresp. to L. type crēdentia, f. creant pr. pple. of creire:— L. crēdĕre to believe. Cf. credence.]
† 1. The mental action or condition of believing; belief, faith, trust, confidence, credence. Obs.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1851 Þou scholdest leue þy false creaunce, and belyue on heuene kynge. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 366 Er Rome came to the creaunce Of Cristes feith. c 1450 Myrc 1788 And bydde hem say wyth fulle creawnce. 1490 Caxton How to die 3 To abyde and deye in the same creance and byleue. |
† b. The matter of belief, the thing believed; (one's) belief or faith; a creed. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 185 This maiden taught the creaunce Unto this wife. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 101 This is oure beleeve and creaunce. c 1470 Harding Chron. lxviii. xi, Foure. C. lordes, of Christes holy creaunce. 1669 Gale Jansenisme 163 Not a creance or belief. |
† 2. Credit, reputation. Obs. rare.
| c 1330 Owain 8 Ȝif he ben of gode creaunce. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 358 If þou yknewe me ariȝt, my doynge and my creaunce, Þou noldest profry me no fiȝt for al þat gold of fraunce. |
† 3. Comm. Credit, trust. to creance: on credit.
| 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iv. 17 Ne had creaunce Icome at þe last ende..Þey had be drawe to þe deuyll for dette þat þey owed. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. v. (1885) 118 He shall..by [buy] all þat is necessarie..by creaunce and borowynge. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) vii. xxv. 314/1 Chapmen that selle to creaunce to let the byer from other chapmen. |
4. Falconry. A long fine line or cord attached to a hawk's leash, by which she is restrained from flying away when being trained; also used similarly to confine the game at which the hawk is flown.
[So F. créance, a string to retain a bird de peu de créance, i.e. whose indications cannot yet be well trusted.]
| 14.. Sloane MS. 2721 Plut. xcv. C, How to use her when she will come redeley in the creance. 1486 Bk. St. Albans B iij b, Take the partrich owte of yowre bagge and ty it by the legge with a creaunce. Ibid. B vj a, Ye shall call the long lyne that ye do call youre hawke to Reclaym with: yowre Creaunce, what so euer it be. 1615 Latham Falconry (1633) 16 Draw her gently to you with your lure or cryance. 1891 Field 7 Mar. 337/1 Her wing became entangled in the creance, and she came to the earth with a thud. |
| fig. 1635 Chapman & Shirley Chabot i. ii, No power flies Out of his favour but his policy ties A criance to it, to contain it still. |
† b. Sometimes spelt cranes, as if plural.
| 1598 Florio, Filagna, the cranes to lure a hauke with. 1603 ― Montaigne i. xlii. (1632) 139 We commend..a hawke for her wing, not for her cranes or bells. 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady v. iv, Take off her Cranes. 1685 Cotton tr. Montaigne III. 452 As a hawk takes his flight but still under the restraint of his cranes. |
▪ II. † creance, v. Obs.
[a. OF. creancer to promise, engage, etc., f. creance: see above.]
1. intr. To pledge oneself to pay; to take credit.
| c 1386 Chaucer Shipman's T. 289 We may creaunce whils we have a name, But goldles for to be it is no game. Ibid. 303 Now gooth this Marchant..and byeth and creaunceth. |
2. To pledge oneself, vow, plight one's troth.
| c 1477 Caxton Jason 97 b, Jason and Medea swore and creanced that they shold take eche other by mariage. |