Earnest

[Lat. arrha, arra, arras.] A part of the price of goods sold, or a portion of the goods themselves, delivered by one of the parties to a contract of sale to the other, in order to bind the contract. A token or pledge passing between the parties, by way of evidence, or ratification of the sale.

2 Kent's Com. 495, note (a). 2 Bl. Com. 447, 448.

2 Steph. Com. 121, and note. See Arrha, Denarius Dei. Earnest was in use in the early ages of the English law, as a means of binding the parties, and completing the sale, but has fallen into very general disuse in modern times.

2 Kent's Com. 405, note.

It is however still given in some parts of England on hiring farm and household servants at the "statutes" or meetings for that purpose; the money paid being otherwise called the fastening penny, though now a shilling.

Howitt's Rural Life of England, 416. (Phil. ed. 1841.)