Obs. Forms: 6 aunciencie, 6–7 anciencie, 7 anciancie, 7–8 anciency. [corruption of earlier ANCIENTY, due to the erroneous assimilation of ANCIENT, orig. a(u)ncien, to ppl. adjs. in -ENT, whose abstracts are in -ENCY; cf. decent, decency.] The quality of being ancient; ancientness, oldness, antiquity.
1548. Coverdale, Erasm. Paraphr. Jude 21. It hathe ben taken worthye authoritie both for the aunciencie and use of it.
1587. Holinshed, Scot. Chron. (1806), I. 36. Esteeming it a glorie to fetch their beginning of great anciencie.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 639. In regard of their gravity, hoariness, and anciency.
1661. Jura Cleri, 42. The Bishops follow him … according to the Dignity and Anciancies of their Respective Sees.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scotl., II. App. ix. 153. The anciency of his house.
