Now Hist. or arch. Forms: 7 spur(re) roial, 7– spur royal; 6–7 spur-roiall, 7– spur-royal (7 -all, spurroyal). [f. SPUR sb.1 + ROYAL sb. Cf. SPUR-RIAL.] A gold coin of the value of fifteen shillings, chiefly coined in the reign of James I.; so called from having on its reverse the form of the sun with rays, resembling a spur-rowel.
1600. Holland, Livy, 1424. Aurei Romani, Peeces of gold coine … in round reckoning equivalent to our spur-roiall of 15 sh.
1639. Mayne, City Match, II. iii. Spur-royals, Harry-groats, or such odd coin or husbandry, as in the King’s reign now Would never pass.
1657. W. Rand, trans. Gassendi’s Life Peiresc, I. 132. The Solidus aurcus … came at last … to the Value of our usuall Shilling or Spur-roiall.
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4072/6. A red Sattin Purse, in which was a 5 Guinea Piece with a Spur Royal.
1711. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), III. 134. A small Gold Spur-royal shew’d me … of Hen. VI.
1834. Mrs. Bray, Warleigh, xl. (1884), 298. A hundred spur royals must be your ransom: for I know your wealth.
1853. Humphreys, Coin Coll. Man., II. 465. The old noble of Edward III.,… which was now termed a spur royal, from the resemblance of the rays to the rowels of a spur.
fig. a. 1618. Sylvester, Little Bartas, 616, Wks. (Grosart), II. 90. Then was the Heav’n’s Azure Pavilion spred, And with Spur-Royals spangled over-head.
