ETYMOLOGY
diminutive of faunt: aphetic form of Old French enfaunt, enfant;
the shortened form has not been found in French, but Italian has the corresponding fante (boy, servant, foot-soldier), whence German fant
EXAMPLE
“…”Þat is soth,” quod clergye “I se what þow menest,
I shal dwelle as I do my deuore to shewen,
And conformen fauntekynes and other folke ylered,
Tyl pacience haue preued þe and parfite þe maked…”
From: The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman,
By William Langland, 1377
Lexicophilia 