Now rare. Also 6 Iues trounk, 9 dial. Jew-trump. [An earlier name than the now usual Jews’ harp, and formerly equally common in England. In Scotland and N. of England the instrument is still called simply TRUMP, agreeing with the Fr. name trompe (Littré), which is now however mostly displaced by guimbarde. Although no early example of F. trompe in this sense has been adduced, it is probable that the name trump came from France, esp. as in the Customs Rates of 1545 they are called Iues trounks, a mistranslation perh. due to the fact that the trompe of the elephant is also called in Eng. trunk. The first element was certainly Jews from the first; conjectures that this was an alteration of jaws, or of F. jeu, are baseless and inept. But the attribution of the instrument to the Jews occurs, so far as is known, only in English, and there is no actual evidence as to its origin.
More or less satisfactory reasons may be conjectured: e.g., that the instrument was actually made, sold or sent to England by Jews, or supposed to be so; or that it was attributed to them, as a good commercial name, suggesting the trumps and harps mentioned in the Bible. As the instrument was neither a trump nor a harp, the ingenuity which conferred upon it these names may well have distinguished it as the trump or harp of the Jews. See also article by Rev. C. B. Mount in Notes & Queries, 23 Oct. 1897, p. 322.]
= JEWS’ HARP 1.
1545. Rates of Customs, Iues trounks the grose iijs. iiijd. Ibid. (1583), C vij. Iewes trumps the groce xs.
1591. News fr. Scotl. (Roxb.), Geillis Duncan … did goe before them playing this reill or daunce uppon a small trumpe called a Jewes trump, untill they entred into the Kirk of North Barrick … the king … sent for the saide Geillis Duncan, who upon the like trump did play the saide daunce before the kinges majestie.
1592. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 85. An vniversall reformation be proclaimed with the sound of a Iewes trumpe.
1613. R. Harcourt, Voy. Guiana, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), III. 178. Knives, beads, jews trumps and such toys as well contented [S. American Indians].
a. 1625. Fletcher, Lover’s Progr., I. i. Playing on a gytterne or a Jewes Trumpe.
1678. Rymer, Trag. last Age, 139. Our ears are rapt with the tintamar and twang of the Tongs and Jewstrumps.
1762. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, V. xv. I’ll stake my Cremona to a Jew’s trump.
1796. Pegge, Anonym. (1809), 48.
1877. N. W. Linc. Gloss., Jew-trump.
1882. Ogilvie.
1885. Cassell.
1890. Cent. Dict., Jews’-trump.
1901. Eng. Dial. Dict., Jew’s trump or trunk.
† b. Applied to a usurer: cf. JEW sb. 2. Obs.
1605. Chapman, etc. Eastw. Ho, II. O ’tis a notable jews trump! I hope to live to see dog’s meat made of the old usurer’s flesh.
