An ancestor of mine, in the mid 19th century, in Scotland, is said to have married with two of her children "under the skirt", or "under her skirts". My understanding is that this meant she - literally - held two young children under her - presumably voluminous - skirts during the wedding ceremony. This, so I have been told, legitimised them. Can anyone confirm this practice existed? Is the expression "under the skirt" correct? Did it legally legitimise the children? Incidentally, those of a sensitive disposition should beware of Googling too freely with the expression "under her skirt" !