[f. prec. + -ER1.]
† 1. A trickster, deceiver, seducer, impostor. Obs.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 35. Iapers and Iangelers Iudas Children, Founden hem Fantasyes and fooles hem maaden. Ibid. (1393), C. XVIII. 310. Thei seien soþliche … That Iesus was bote a Iogelour, a Iaper a-monge þe comune.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxii. 43. It is Jesus þat japer þat Judas ganne selle vs.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 33. Ye are but a mocker, and a iaper of ladies, and that is a foule tache.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VIII. xl. Me semeth by his countenaunce he shold be a noble knyght and no Iaper.
2. One who japes or jokes; esp. a professional jester. Obs. since 16th c.; revived in 19th c.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. IX. 90. He is worse þan Iudas þat ȝiueth a iaper siluer, And biddeth þe begger go for his broke clothes. Ibid., X. 31. Iaperes and iogeloures and iangelers of gestes.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 453. He [archebishope Rauf] usede more lawhynge and playenge þan it semede his staate and his age, and he was nyh i-cleped a iapere.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 257/2. Iaper, nugax, nugaculus.
c. 1475. Pict. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 806/20. Hic nugator,… a chaper.
1550. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. 72 b. And Treuisa addeth … in fyne Englysh, that thys hawtie prelate [abp. Rauf] was a great Iaper: the terme is sumwhat homelye.
1869. Blackw. Mag., Dec., 687/1. Japers, who were an inferior kind of minstrel, also made their appearance in these plays.
1884. A. Lang, in Harper’s Mag., Nov., 894/1. Sydney Smith’s fame is dwindling into that of a japer of japes.
