Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Swedling clouts, Suedling band, Sweilling clais, n. (pl.) Also: suedlen clouts, swadling cloath(e)s, -cloutes, swealing clouts. [ME and e.m.E. suadiling band (14th c.), swadlyng cloutes (1530), swadlinge clothes (1535); Sweddel(l v. and Band n.¹, Clath(e n. 1 b and Clout n.¹ 1.] Swaddling-clothes.(1) 1567 G. Ball. 50.
The sylk and sandell thé to eis, Ar hay, and sempill sweilling clais(b) 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 396.
Yit may the sone of a baronet say, from his swadling cloathes, ‘iff I leave to the aige of one & tuentie [etc.]' a1688 Wallace Orkney (1700) 47.
[He was] carried away by an eagle, while a young child in swadling cloaths(2) a1605 Montg. Sonn. l 6.
O happy pape … First gaiv hir suck, in siluer suedling band!(3) c1590 Fowler II 127/31.
Lord Anniball Bentiuoli … being … killed, and having no other posteretie … but Lord Johne Bentiuolgi, who then was in his suedlen clouts 1587 Carmichael Etym. 3b.
Incunabula, swealing clouts a1651 Calderwood V 440.
Swedling clouts(b) 1600-1610 Melvill 370.
When yie war in your swadling-cloutes, Chryst Jesus rang friely in this land