swaddlern.

1747 J. Wesley Jrnl. 10 Sept. (1849) I. 457 We dined with a gentleman, who explained our name to us. It seems we are beholden to Mr. Cennick for it, who abounds in such~like expressions as, ‘I curse and blaspheme all the gods in heaven, but the babe that lay in the manger, the babe that lay in Mary's lap, the babe that lay in swaddling clouts’, &c. Hence they nicknamed him, ‘Swaddler, or Swaddling John’; and the word sticks to us all, not excepting the Clergy.

a1772 Ess. from Batchelor (1773) II. 198 Those glorious days, when..regulators shall disarm the troops, and swaddlers superseded [sic] the clergy.

1810 J. Lambert Trav. Lower Canada & U.S. (1816) I. 346 Quakers, Shakers, Swadlers, and Jumpers.

1825 W. Cobbett Hist. Protestant ‘Reformation’ (1847) 105 How the swaddlers would cry out for another ‘Reformation’!

1869 Card. Cullen in Times 3 Sept. 8/3 Members may be of any religion—Catholics, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Socinians, Arians, Swaddlers.

1880 W. J. Fitzpatrick Life, Times, & Corr. Dr. Doyle (ed. 2) I. 370 Arrah! hould yer tongue, ye canting Swaddler.

1894 H. Caine Manxman 232 To cast ridicule on the ‘swaddler’ and the ‘publican preacher’.

1907 Catholic Weekly 29 Nov. 3/3 No priest could enter, and the soupers and swaddlers had all the guidance..of children and teachers.