Obs. exc. dial. Forms: α. 4 swethel, -il; β. 4 suedel, 5 swedyll, 67 sweddell, swedle. See also SWEEL v. [f. prec.] SWADDLE v. 1, 2.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11236 (Cott.). Sli clathes als sco had to hand Wit suilk sco suedeld [Gött. swetheled] him and band. Ibid., 11271. Þe child þat suedeld [Gött. swethild] was, Lai in crib tuix ox and ass.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2034. Þenn dressed he his drurye double hym aboute; Swyþe sweþled vmbe his swange swetely.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xiii. 433. I shall swedyll hym right In my credyll.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxxviii. 9. When I made the cloudes to be a coueringe for it, and swedled it with ye darcke. Ibid., Ezek. xvi. 4. Thou wast nether rubbed with salt, ner swedled in cloutes.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 129. Thou hardly had a lapp to swedle thee.
Hence Sweddling ppl. a. (in quot., ? wrapped in swaddling-clothes).
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl. (E.E.T.S.), viii. 392. That ilke swedling swayne I shall swap of his head.