Words In History: God's Penny
Historian George Redmonds explains the historical meaning of God's penny, money given to express good intent in a deal.
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This was a small sum of money, said to have been socalled originally because it was intended for a charitable or religious purpose. However, by the Tudor period it had come to be associated principally with bargains, especially as earnest money, paid over at a new tenancy agreement or when a new servant or workman was hired.
In 1531, Christopher Scawceby sought to take possession of a public house called the Bull, in Beverley, but his ownership was disputed by John Raffelles and the case was heard at the court of Star Chamber. Much of the evidence had to do with 'a goddes penney', allegedly paid to Scawceby without the landlord's knowledge.
Pepys was certainly familiar with the term, noting in his diary that 'at the making all contracts and bargains they give so much, which they call God's penny' (1662). The same term was used for the small rebate given when cattle were purchased. Indeed, it was considered unlucky in some regions not to have a coin returned as part of the sale.
