arch. Forms: 4–6 fardele, 4–7 far-, ferdel(l(e, (6 ferdle), 5 fardille, 6–7 farthel(l(e, 6–9 fardle, (7 fardal), 3– fardel. [a. OF. fardel (later fardeau), dim. of farde burden, cognate with Sp., Pg. fardo.
It has been suggested that the source of the Rom. word is Arab. fardah; see Devic s.v.]
1. A bundle, a little pack; a parcel. Also collect. Occas. in pl. Baggage (of a company of men).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5004 (Cott.).
| Þai … did þair fardels be vndon. | |
| Ibid., 24947 (Gött) Wid all þair fardel and þair fere | |
| þai com till land al hale and fere. |
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 432. Sum … on his bak ber a fardele.
1388. Wyclif, Ruth ii. 9. Also if thou thirstist go to the fardels and drynke watris.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5136. Foure hundreth Olifaunts in fere þis fardille to bere.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), I. 273. This ferdell of gere I ley vp my bakke.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lii. 176. He promysed to serue me and to bere my fardel.
1557. N. T. (Genev.), Acts xxi. 15. After those dayes we trussed vp our fardeles and went vp to Ierusalem.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 783. Shep. Sir, there lyes such Secrets in this Farthell and Box, which none must know but the King.
1681. Evelyn, Diary (1827), IV. 259. ’Tis not easy to imagine the infinite fardles of papers, treaties, declarations, relations, journals, original letters, &c., which I was obliged to reade and peruse.
1762. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, II. ix, A little diminutive pony … scarce able to have made an amble of it, under such a fardel.
c. 1817. Hogg, Life of an Edinburgh Baillie, in Tales & Sk. (1837), V. 228. You are to walk behind Lady Jane, and carry her fardel, or mantle perhaps, or some trifle.
1853. Lytton, My Novel (1856), 262. [The tinker] resumed his fardel, and creeping quick along the hedgerows, followed Leonard towards the town.
2. fig. A collection, ‘lot,’ parcel (of immaterial things).
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 24. Suche … sentences as we haue gathered of holy fathers … togyder, as in one fardell.
1614. Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 459. What is their Alcoran, but a fardle of foolish impossibilities?
1667. H. More, Divine Dialogues, III. xix. (1713), 219. All these Abominations are as it were tied together in this fictitious Fardel of Transubstantiation.
a. 1703. Burkitt, On N. T., Rom. xi. 2. Let them prove by authentick Testimony, that their Fardles of Traditions were delivered to the Church from the Mouth of the Apostles, and we will receive them.
1873. H. Rogers, Orig. Bible, i. (1875), 49, note. If it be no more than a contrivance of fiction, or a fardel of myths.
b. esp. A burden or load of sin, sorrow, etc.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 208. Brynggyng in his nekke þe fardel of his wickidnesse in siȝt of al þe world!
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 119/3. Goo fro me thou fardel of synne.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 356. To thrust him out, and his fardle of troubles, that hee breede no more annoyaunces to the Common wealthe.
1644. Herrick, Hesper., 1844, II. 123.
| Other men’s sins we ever beare in mind, | |
| None sees the fardel of his faults behind. |
1818. Byron, Ch. Har., IV. clxvi.
| It is enough in sooth that once we bore | |
| These fardels of the heart—the heart whose sweat was gore. |
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, X. viii. Who can to leave the Future all unguessed, and sit tamely down to groan under the fardel of the Present?
† 3. That in which something is wrapped; a wrapping, wrapper. Obs.
1388. Wyclif, Ezek. xxvii. 24. In fardels of iacinct and of clothis of many colours.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, II. 249. About their heads they lap such fardels of linnen, as they seeme comparable to the heads of Giants.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., cccxxix.
| In a Petty-Coat | |
| Wrapt, a night fardle, to his Fame forgott. |
4. attrib. and Comb.
1587. Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 154.
| And iewels for to saue, | |
| Trusst vp in fardell wise. |
1892. Pall Mall G., 23 Sept., 6/2. An emancipation of all down trodden, fardel-bearing … slaves.
