My impression (correct me if I'm mistaken) is that "taking the King's shilling" (or Queen's) was used in regard to service in the British army as well as the navy.

There's a reference to "taking the shilling" in "Fighting For Strangers" which I learned from Steeleye Span's album "Rocket Cottage." It's listed as Trad. and arranged by various members of the group. The first verse goes:

CHO: What makes you go abroad, fighting for strangers,
    When you could be safe at home, free from all dangers?

1. A recruiting sergeant came our way
   To an inn nearby at the close of day.
   He said, "Young Johnny, you're a fine young man.
   Would you like to marce along behing a military band,
   With a scarlet coat, a big cocked hat
   And a musket on your shoulder?"
   The shilling he took and he kissed the book,
   Oh, poor Johnny what'll happen to you?

Steeleye Span sing 4 verses, interspersed with the 2 line chorus. One of the great anti-war songs.

There's also a reference to the practice of taking the King's shilling in "Arthur McBride" though it's referred to a "a guinea" in that song. Verse 2 refers to the recruiting sergeant's "pitch":

He says, "Me young fellows, if you will enlist,
A guinea ye quickly shall have in your fist,
Besides a crown for to kick up the dust
And drink the King's health in the morning."

Arthur and his cousin are not taken in as was Johnny in "Strangers."
I suspect the particular coin was not the issue, but that once you had accepted any money "from the King" via a government recruiter, you were considered to have agreed to your enlistment. Perhaps someone has more information on that.

Good song by John Prentice. Does anyone know what recordings of it have been made?

Reiver 2