1417 in (1925) 3 68 (MED) ij yerderopes, ij halyers, ij Prialle ropes..vj peciis Corde de Merlyn.
1485 in M. Oppenheim (1896) 70 Canuas..j bolte, Saile twyne..vi lb, Marlyne..vi lb.
1558 in W. Greenwell (1860) II. 167 xijIb of marlyn iiijs.
1627 J. Smith v. 25 Marling is a small line of vntwisted hemp, very pliant and well tarred, to sease the ends of Ropes from raueling out..if the saile rent out of the Boltrope, they will make it fast with marlin till they haue leisure to mend it.
1667 J. Dryden cxlviii. 38 Some the gall'd ropes with dawby Marling bind.
1723 31 He..was down seeing and ordering her Sails out on board the Pyrate, in particular some Marling and Housling.
1735 27 Sept. 3/1 To be Sold..: All sorts of iron ware by retail viz. iron potts.., dipsey and hand lines, marlin and house lines.
1801 J. J. Moore sig. M6v There is both tarred and white mar-line.
1838 J. F. Cooper III. vi. 150 Small balls of marline, to the end of each of which was attached a cod-hook.
1886 XXI. 604/1 Marling, soft~laid white line for securing sails to the bolt-rope.
1912 S. Leacock iii. 90 Pretty soon they saw Mr. Smith disappear down below into the lowest part of the steamer with a mallet in one hand and a big bundle of marline in the other.
1947 A. Ransome xiv. 178 ‘It's a pity Mac took his trammel nets ashore before we sailed.’.. ‘If that's the only trouble, there's plenty of marline in the locker.’
1964 I. Khan 36 They would buy a 3-cent length of marlin and two blue steel fish-hooks and let the lines dangle from their big toes.
1989 P. O'Brian v. 156 I had made my hat fast with a piece of marline.