or red, or golden, ruddocks, subs. (old).—Money: specifically gold: also RUDDY. [Formerly gold was conventionally “red” (‘a girdle of gold so red’ and ‘good red gold’—Percy Reliques).] Cf. RIDGE and REDGE.

1

  1570.  TURBERVILLE, Of Two Desperate Men [CHALMERS, English Poets, ii. 647].

          The greedie Carle came within a space
That owned the good, and saw the Pot behinde
Where RUDDOCKS lay, and in the RUDDOCKS place
A knottie Corde, but RUDDOCKS could not finde.

2

  1585.  The Choise of Change [Censura Literaria, ix. 436]. He must have his RED RUDDOCKES ready.

3

  1598.  FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Zanfrone. Used also for crownes, great pieces of gold, as our countrymen say RED-RUDDOCKES.

4

  1600.  Sir John Oldcastle, i. 2.

        Beshrew me, but my fingers’ end do itch
To be upon those RUDDUKS.

5

  1607.  HEYWOOD, The Fair Maid [Works, II. 277]. I believe they be little better than pirates, they are so flush of their RUDOCKS.

6