Will - you obviously haven't been reading the above closely enough! Clouting just means mending. A clout was a patch - cloth, leather, metal and clouting meant patching.

OED gives quote from Milton:

Unknown, and like esteem'd, and the dull swain
Treads on it daily with his clouted shoon

(Comus: 634/5).


I think it's usually clouting of St.Peter's shoes.

Mick