Obs. Forms: 6 troule in madame, trol in madam, trowe maddam, trolemadame, 7 trol-madame, troll-my-dame, troll-medam, trou-madam, 8 troll-madame, 8–9 trou-madame. [app. an alteration of F. trou-madame (f. trou hole) by association with TROLL v.] A game played by ladies, resembling bagatelle: see quot. 1572. = HOLE sb. 10 a.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes Buckstone, 12. The Ladyes, Gentle Women, Wyues and Maydes maye … haue in the ende of a Benche eleuen holes made, intoo the which to trowle pummetes or Bowles of leade … or also of Copper, Tynne, Woode … the pastyme Troule in Madame is termed. margin, Trol in Madam.
1573. in Gage, Hengrave (1822), 199. A frame of wood upon wch they play wth pellets, called trowe maddam.
1605. Holland, Sueton., Annot. 18. The game of young Gentlewomen called of some Trol-Madame.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iii. 92. A fellow (sir) that I haue knowne to goe about with Troll-may-dames.
1666. Third Advice to a Painter, 19. He plays with Danger, and his Bullets trouls, As ’twere at Trou-Madam through all the holes.
1689. Lond. Gaz., No. 2503/4. If any Persons have occasion for Tables, and Table-men,… and Troll-Madams, they may be furnished.
1774. H. Walpole, Lett. to C’tess Upper Ossory, 30 July. I would not for the world have a table of trou-madame without a king and a queen.
1819. Blackw. Mag., IV. 564. A harmless quiet kind of sport, like shuttlecock, or trou-madame, or nine-pins.
