为何各大法律词典未收录 witnesseth 一词呢？

那是因为 witnesseth=witnesses，输入一个动词的第三人称单数形式作为词条，当然查不到咯！其中eth是古英语第三人称单数的后缀。

这个古英语词汇一般出现在合同的开首语之后，如下所示：

SECRECYAGREEMENT

保密协议

This AGREEMENT is made and entered into on this 15th day of May, 2018 by and between (1)                         , a company incorporatedand existing under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with itsprincipal office located at (2)                           PRC (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”which expression shall mean and include its affiliates, as hereinafter definedand successors); and GREAT LAKES CHEMICAL (EUROPE) GmbH, a company incorporatedand existing under the laws and Switzerland, with its registered office locatedat (3)                           (hereinafter referred to as “GLK” whichexpression shall mean and include its affiliates, as hereinafter defined andsuccessors).    

本协议于 2018 年 5 月 15 日由以下双方订立：

协议第一方：（1）公司，系根据中华人民共和国法律成立及存续的公司，总部设在  （2），（以下简称“本公司”，包括其附属公司和继受公司，附属公司的含义如下文所定义）；

协议第二方：大湖化工（欧洲）有限公司，系根据瑞士法律成立及存续的公司，总部设在  （3），（以下简称“大湖化工”，包括其附属公司和继受公司，附属公司的含义如下文所定义）。

WITNESSETH

鉴于：

WHEREAS THE COMPANY owns the technologies and is engaged in thebusiness (the Business) of producing, marketing and selling certainantioxidants (hereinafter referred to as “Products”),

WHEREAS GLK is also engaged in the business of producing, marketing andselling the Products,

WHEREAS, GLK is interested in entering into discussions with THECOMPANY for the acquisition by GLK of a certain share of THE COMPANY(hereinafter referred to as the “Contemplated Purpose”),

WHEREAS, THE COMPANY agrees to disclose certain confidentialinformation on the Company, the Products and the Business (hereinafter referredto as “Confidential Information”) in view of the Contemplated Purpose and wishesto define its rights with respect to any Confidential Information disclosed toGLK,

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutualpromises and covenants contained in this Agreement the Parties hereby agree asfollows:

本公司拥有技术并从事生产、营销及销售某些抗氧化剂产品（以下简称“该产品”）的业务（“该业务”）；

大湖化工亦从事于生产、营销及销售该产品的业务；

大湖化工有意与本公司就其购买本公司一定数目的股份（以下称为“预期目的”）的事宜进行商讨；

本公司为达至预期目的，同意披露有关本公司、该产品及该业务的某些保密信息（以下简称“保密信息”），同时希望就披露给大湖化工的保密信息的相关权利进行明确定义；

为此，鉴于本协议的前提条件、相互承诺和约定，双方协议如下：<0}

上述WITNESSETH 相当于 This AGREEMENT witnesses that, WHEREAS…

，可不译，或可译为“特此为证”、“兹证明”，其后WHEREAS译为“鉴于”。

从上面大写的部分可以了解到英文合同的一种通用格式：

*** AGREEMENT

This AGREEMENT is made and entered into this           day of           (month),           (year) by and between*** and ***

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS***

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutualpromises and covenants contained in this Agreement the Parties hereby agree asfollows:

Article 1 ***

Article 2***

***

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement tobe executed by their respective duly authorized officer or representatives asof the day first above written. 

双方授权官员或代表于以上开首语中写明的日期正式签署本协议，以资证明。（以此为证，双方授权官员或代表于开首所载日期特此签署本协议。）

合同结尾处，双方签名之前的 IN WITNESS WHEREOF 可译为“兹此为证”、“以此为证”，其在牛津英语大词典中释义为：attestation by signature, oath, etc. Chiefly inlegal contexts，即：通过下面的签名来证明合同的有效性。