 King's shilling

The King's shilling, sometimes called the Queen's shilling when the Sovereign is female, is a historical slang term referring to the earnest payment of one shilling given to recruits to the Armed forces of the United Kingdom in the 18th and 19th centuries, although the practice dates back to the end of the English Civil War.To "take the King's shilling" was to agree to serve as a sailor or soldier in the Royal Navy or the British Army.