yo The History of the Spur 



them the name they have, as they think they may have been 

 worn by outriders accompanying the coach of some great 

 personage when travelling in state. This may have been so. 

 Anyhow, the idea is much the same as mine — that these many- 

 necked spurs were merely emblematic of speed. 



In some of the large rowelled spurs of eight or six points, 

 where each of the large, thick points terminated in another 

 small rowel, it will be found that the large points were hollow. 

 Zschille and Forrer have suggested that secret despatches may 

 have been carried in the hollow cylinders. I should doubt 

 this — it may have been done once or twice — but I should think 

 riders carrying important despatches would choose a less cumber- 

 some and more useful sort of spur. I have not seen, myself, 

 any of that sort in England, though I know of a Spanish 

 spur of this kind with eight large points and eight little 

 rowels at the ends of the points, in the Stibbert Collection at 

 Florence ; and Zschille and Forrer give some illustrations of 

 German spurs of this description. 



