Among the examples of usage the first edition of the OED lists are

John Milton's in his 1667 Paradise Lost: "The Rites Mysterious of connubial Love" (IV 743).

Samuel Johnson's in an 1750 essay in The Rambler: "Of my friends who have been least successful in connubial contracts" (No. 18, p. 4).

Oliver Goldsmith's in his 1770 "The Deserted Village": "Kind connubial tenderness" (404).

Gilbert's own in The Mikado:

Pish-Tush, in "Our great Mikado, virtuous man" (Act I), says
So he decreed, in words succinct,
That all who flirted, leered, or winked
(Unless connubially linked),
Should forth-with be beheaded.

and
The youth who winked a roving eye,
Or breathed a non-connubial sigh,
Was thereupon condemned to die --
He usually objected.

Pitti-Sing, in "With aspect stern and gloomy stride" (Act I), says to Katisha
Away, nor prosecute your quest --
From our intention, well expressed,
You cannot turn us!
The state of your connubial views
Towards the person you accuse
Does not concern us!

This discussion is based on the definition of the word connubial in the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, which requires a little explanation.

To Act I or Act II of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado.

To the homepage of this Mikado website.

Suggestions, contributions, criticisms, questions? Email Sharon Cogdill.