Also 6 swathel(l, swathle, swadel, 7 swadle. [f. next. Cf. MDu. swadel and SWEDDLE sb.]
1. Swaddling-clothes: also fig. Now U.S.
1538. Elyot, Crepundia … the fyrst apparayle of chyldren, as swathels, wastcotes, and such lyke. Ibid., Fascia, a swathell or swathynge bande.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. IV. Captaines, 19. O sacred Place, which wert the Cradle Of th’ only Man-God, and his happy Swadle.
1659. Torriano, A swadle, or swadling band, or clout, fascia, benda.
1881. Pop. Sci. Monthly, XIX. 146. And under no circumstances any swaddles or baby night-gowns.
1897. Trans. Amer. Pediatric Soc., IX. 14. The one reformation of delivering the child from the incarceration of the swaddle.
2. A bandage. Obs. or arch.
a. 1569. Kingesmyll, Conflict w. Satan (1578), 22. All full of plasters and bandes and swadels.
1611. Cotgr., Braye … a trusse, a swathell,… worne by such as are burst [= ruptured].
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, IV. xi. (Roxb.), 444/1. Silk to wipe the Armes of the King after his annoynting and a swadle to bind it on the Armes.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 90, ¶ 7. They … ordered me to be … put to Bed in all my Swaddles.
1857. Heavysege, Saul (1869), 267. Who will withdraw the swaddles from thine eyes.
