preferency

Noun

preferency (countable and uncountable, plural preferencies)

1. (rare) Preference.
   • To haue simply presented them to the GREEKES, he could haue done them no iniurie, what disparitie soeuer there might be: neither doth he weigh them also all together: in the great there is no preferencie.1602, S[imon] G[oulart], translated by Thomas North, “The Life of Plutarch”, in The Liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the Elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus: Collected out...
   • This is noted of Arrius, by Theodoret, that when Alexander was choſen Biſhop of Alexandria, he envied him the preferency, and from thence ſought occaſions of Contention, which after a little while the Devil brought to his hand, as we have heard.1677, Richard Gilpin, “Of Satan’s second way of improving his Advantages, which is by working upon the Understanding indirectly by the Affections. […]”, in Dæmonologia Sacra. Or, A Treatise of Satans...