E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Far’thing.
A fourth part. Penny pieces used to be divided into four parts, thus, ⊕. One of these quarters was a feor- thung or farthing, and two a halfpenny. (Anglo-Saxon, feor-thung.)
1
I don’t care for it a brass farthing. James II. debased all the coinage, and issued, amongst other worthless coins, brass pence, halfpence, and farthings.
2
The feorthung was the fourth part of other coins. Thus, we read in the Grayfriar’s Chronicle:—
3
“This yere the kynge made a newe quyne, as the nobylle, half-nobylle, and ferdyng-nobylle.”
The feorthung was the fourth part of other coins. Thus, we read in the Grayfriar’s Chronicle:—
