A more thorough explanation:

Definition: Festing-penny is an old term used to describe the earnest or payment given to a servant when they are hired.

• When Jane was hired as a maid, she was given a festing-penny of one shilling.
• John received a festing-penny of sixpence when he was hired to work in the fields.

These examples illustrate how festing-penny was used in the past to compensate servants for their work. It was a small amount of money given to them as a sign of good faith and to show that they were valued employees. Festing-penny was often given at the beginning of a contract and was a way to ensure that the servant would stay with their employer for a certain period of time.