subs. (old).—1.  In pl. = the knees. Ital. devoti = worshippers.

1

  1553.  UDALL, Roister Doister, I. iv. p. 29 (ARBER). Couche on your MARRYBONES whooresons, down to the ground.

2

  1567.  T. DRANT, Horace, fo E iiij. Ep. 12. ‘To Iccius.’

        By Nero were discumfited: Phraates tooke his mace,
Kneeling vppon his MARRIBONES, to Cesars aufull grace.

3

  1594.  NASHE, The Unfortunate Traveller [GROSART, v. 23]. My welbeloued Baron of double beere got him humbly on his MARYBONES to the King.

4

  1603.  DEKKER, The Wonderful Yeare 1603 [GROSART, i. 141]. At these speeches my tender-hearted Hoste, fell downe on his MARIBONES, meaning indeede to entreat his audience to bee good to him.

5

  1665.  Homer à la Mode [NARES].

        Some more devout clownes, partly guessing
When he’s almost come to the blessing,
Prepare their staves, and rise at once,
Say’ng Amen, off their MARY-BONES.

6

  1667.  DRYDEN, Sir Martin Mar-all, ii. Down on your MARROW-BONES, and confess the truth.

7

  1672.  COTTON, Scarronides, Bk. i. p. 36 (ed. 1725).

        Upon a Stool set for the Nonce,
She went to rest her MARROW-BONES.

8

  1700.  DRYDEN, Wife of Bath Her Tale, l. 192. On her majestic MARY-BONES she kneeled.

9

  1714.  Spectator, 5 Nov. The mob drank the kings health on their MARROW-BONES.

10

  1721.  AMHURST, Terræ-filius, vii., p. 33. The [Oxford] scholars, in most of their disputes and quarrels with the townsmen or aliens, usually came off the best at last, and brought their adversaries down upon their MARROW-BONES to them.

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  1760.  COLMAN, Polly Honeycombe, i. 3. I’ll carry her off to-day, if possible, clap up a marriage at once, and then down upon our MARROW-BONES, and ask pardon and blessing of papa and mama.

12

  1777.  ISAAC JACKMAN, All the World’s a Stage, i. 2. When I come down, you are all to fall upon your MARROW-BONES.

13

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

14

  1840.  R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (The Merchant of Venice).

        So down on your MARROWBONES, Jew, and ask mercy!
Defendant and Plaintiff are now wisy wersy.

15

  1869.  THACKERAY, The White Squall.

        And they call in their emergence
Upon countless saints and virgins;
And their MARROWBONES are bended,
And they think the world is ended.

16

  2.  (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see CREAMSTICK and PRICK. Also MARROWBONE-AND-CLEAVER.

17

  MARQUESS OF MARROWBONES, subs. phr. (old).—A lackey.

18

  1592.  NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell [GROSART, ii. 33]. Poore Scullians, that, from turning spit in the chimney corner, are on the sodaine hoised vp from the Kitchin into the waiting chamber, or made Barons of the beanes, and MARQUESSES OF THE MARY-BOANES.

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