Forms: 4 Tybourne, 4–7 Tyborne, 5–6 Tiborne, 5–7 Tyburne, 6 Tibourne, -burne, 6–7 Tiburn, 7 Tiborn, 8 Tybourn, 7– Tyburn. The place of public execution for Middlesex until 1783, situated at the junction of the present Oxford Street, Bayswater Road, and Edgeware Road. Hence in allusive use.
[a. 1200. Ralph de Diceto, Chron. (Rolls), II. 143 (Hanging of Will. FitzOsbert in 1196). Per mediam civitatem trahitur ad furcas prope Tyburnam. Suspensus est.]
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XII. 190. Dominus pars hereditatis mee is a meri verset, Þat has take fro tybourne twenti stronge þeues. Ibid. (1393), C. VII. 368. Þe hangeman of tyborne.
c. 1450. Brut, 443. To be drawe fro þe Toure of London thorugh þe Citee to Tiborne, & þere hangede & quartrede.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf., 423. At the laste I brynge hym ryght To Tyburne, where they hange on hyght.
1580. Campion, in Hanmer’s Answ. (1581), 24. We haue a league, all the Iesuits in the worlde … neuer to dispayre your recouerye whiles we haue a man left to enioy your tyburne or to be racked wyth your torments [etc.].
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 138. Many idle persons … fall into offence of lawe, and are many times eaten vp by Tyborne.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. iii. 30. I pity the Fate of Malefactors (as they go up Holborn towards Tybourn) though they deserve to be hang’d.
1783. New Annual Reg., II. 48 (Sept. 20). The malefactors … convicted last week at the Old Bailey … were executed at Tyburn.
fig. 1598. E. Gilpin, Skial. (1878), 32. It is the scourge, the Tamberlaine of vice, The three square Tyborne of impieties.
transf. 1736. Drake, Eboracum, I. v. 171. August 23 [1649] were executed at Tyburn near York, Colonel John Morrice and Lieutenant Blackburn.
1904. Dom Bede Camm, Tyburn of Eng. Mart., Introd. 12. The blessed Edmund Campion himself inaugurated this pilgrimage, just as the venerable Margaret Clitheroe began that to the York Tyburn.
b. attrib. and Comb., as Tyburn check, coach, collop, face, jig, piccadill, saint, stretch, string, tie, tiffany, tribe, wright; Tyburn blossom: see quot. 1796; Tyburn ticket, a certificate formerly granted to one who secured the conviction of a felon, exempting the holder from all parochial duties in the parish where the offence was committed; Tyburn tippet: see TIPPET sb. 2; Tyburn top: see quot.; hence Tyburn-topped a.; Tyburn tree, the gallows.
1796. Grose’s Dict. Vulg. T., *Tyburn Blossom, a young thief or pickpocket, who in time will ripen into fruit borne by the deadly never-green.
1827. Lytton, Pelham, lxxxi, As pretty a Tyburn blossom as ever was brought up to ride a horse foaled by an acorn.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf., 911. A *Tyborne checke Shall breke his necke.
1829. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), II. 27. At the tenth mile this *Tyburn-coach breaks down!
c. 1420. ? Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 697. *Tyburne coloppys, and pursekytters.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorells B., 11. Tyburne collopes and peny pryckers.
1695. Congreve, Love for L., II. vii. He has a damn’d *Tyburn-Face, without the Benefit o’ the Clergy.
1698. Farquhar, Love & Bottle, II. ii. Which is best, Mr. Nimblewrist, an easy Minuet, or a *Tyburn Jigg?
1620. J. Taylor (Water P.), Hempseed, Preamble 38. Till they put on a *Tyburne Pickadill.
1785. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Odes to R. Acad., v. 16. Your *Tyburn Saints will not your fame increase.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 214. To beg in age, Or else to fetch a *Tibourne stretch.
1882. J. Walker, Jaunt to Auld Reekie, 4.
| To pay his homage to the new-found king, | |
| Lest he should dangle in a *Tyburn string. |
1796. Colquhoun, Police of Metropolis, 203. For apprehending, and prosecuting to conviction, any person charged with horse stealing, a *Tyburn ticket.
1813. Examiner, 12 April, 232/1. Mr. Burton was also robbed,… for which a man suffered death, on whose conviction the worthy old man received a Tyburn Ticket.
1816. Rep. Committee on Police of Metropolis, 4. Is it not customary to give what is called ‘a Tyburn Ticket’ on some occasions?
1828. Lights & Shades, II. 186. His brother was about to endure … the *‘Tyburn-tie.’
1612. Rowlands, Knave of Harts, 4. Neuer regarding Hang-mans feare, Till *Tyburne-tiffany he weare.
1549. *Tyburn tippet [see TIPPET sb. 2].
1647. Trapp, Comm. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. And how many of our Popish Martyrs … have worne the Tiburn-tippet, as Father Latimer phraseth it?
1830. Mrs. Bray, Fitz of F., xxiv. Your glories aspire to a Tyburn tippet, and that will be the end of them.
1796. Grose’s Dict. Vulg. T., *Tyburn Top, or Foretop, a wig with the foretop combed over the eyes in a knowing style.
1774. Foote, Cozeners, I. Wks. 1799, II. 153. See him on the turf, at Newmarket, in his *Tyburn-topp’d wig, tight boots, and round hat.
1727. Gay, Begg. Op., III. xiii. I wonder we han’t belter Company, Upon *Tyburn Tree!
1851. Borrow, Lavengro, xxxix. Tyburn tree had long since been cut down.
1717. Rowe, Cruel Gift, Epil. 29. That *Tyburn-tribe of speech-making Non-jurors.
1589. [? Lyly], Pappe w. Hatchet, B iij b. We neither feare Martin,… nor of what occupation hee be, be a ship-wright, cart-wright, or *tiburn-wright.
c. To preach at Tyburn cross, to be hanged; in reference to the speeches permitted to those about to be executed.
1596. Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 55. That Soldiours sterue, or prech at Tiborne crosse.
