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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Suk(k)in, Sucken, n.¹ (adj.) Also: sukine, -yn, sukkyn(e, -ing, swkin, suckin(e, -yn, -ing, succin,succken, suicken, sokin, -yn. [ME and e.m.E. socne (Layamon), sokene (Piers Plowman), soken (Chaucer), OE sócn, ON sókn. Cf. Dan., Norw. sogn, Sw. socken.] In Bell Dict. Law Scotl. and Encycl. Laws Scotl. the term sucken is defined as the lands astricted to a mill under the conditions of thirlage (cf. 3 below).

A. noun. 1. a. The obligation imposed on tenants requiring them to have their grain ground at a particular mill. Passing into 2 or 3 below. b. The right to exact such an obligation.Commonly in collocation with multure (Multur(e n.).a., b. sing. 1470 Fam. Innes 79.
Tota et integra multura et le sukkin tocius foreste nostre de Boyne 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 109.
And thir thingis abone writtin the said men of the barony sall do that all [= owe] sukkyne gif it be the use of the cuntre and thar det till do of lawe 1518 Reg. Privy S. I 470/1.
Super molendino de Anstrother, cum aqueductu, astricta multura, le sukin, toftis, [etc.] 1535 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 409.
The landis of Glassauch with the Cragmyln … togidder with the sukyn and multuris of … Fordice 1610 Glasgow Trades House 27.
viij ȝeiris to cum quhilk is the tyme of the sukin of the toun to thair awn [blank in text](b) 1516–17 Lanark B. Rec. 356.
Andro Cunyghame, … protestit that quhat beis done betuix the communite of the toun of Lanerk and the lard of Dalȝell touching the suckin of Mous Mylne suld turne the said lard of Cunyghameheid to na prejudice anent the clame of multur clamit be the said lard of Dalȝell apoun the tennentis duelland apon his landis 1566 Retours I Inq. Spec. Fife (60).
Cum tertia parte molendini de Cleisch ac tertia parte multurarum lie suckin 1568 Inverness Rec. I 170.
The sek that the said malt was in … quhilk he tuike to the said myln to be grundin as he that aucht suckin thairto 1568 Inverness Rec. I 171.
For the wrangus tacking of thair malt to the myln of Kilbean quha aucht suckin to the Kingis myln 1595 Orkney Rentals ii 21.
The milne of Scapa with the sucken payit of auld 6 meils meal 1595 Orkney Rentals ii 21.
Ane miln … in Widefurd, quhilk has na sucken nather payis ony multer … aught to be demolishit and casin down 1671 Lauder Notices Affairs I 25.
He finds himselfe hudgely greived and prejudged in the thirle or sucken of his milne(c) 1549 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford 29b.
Twa merkland of Gartmoyr with the myll swkin & pertinentis(d) 1699 Conv. Burghs IV 292.
The herretable and irredeemable right, propertie, and possessione of the milns of Forres, miln landes, multurs, suicken, sequels, thirlage, and pertinents of the samen(e) 1550 Buccleuch Mun. II 200.
With all richt marchis, … mulcturis, and sucking thairofpl. 1423 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 259.
The Canoune millis … ar assignit to hym in his pensione witht the landis housis & ȝardis pertenand … and with the suckins thryl multures and al freedomez langan 1497–8 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville).
My myle & crofte with thair multuris suckynnys & pertinens 1537–8 Reg. Privy S. II 369/1.
With all suckynnis and multuris of the saidis mylnis 1538 Reg. Privy S. II 398/1.
All and sindry thare landis, rentis, … maner places, store places, grangeis, mylnis, suckynnis, pasturis [etc.] 1564–5 Rec. Earld. Orkney 279.
With houssis, biggingis, … mylnis multuris and thair suckinnes [etc.] 1579 Crail B. Ct. 16 June.
Sukyniis 1589 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 10 Nov.
Sukkingspossess. 1625 Glasgow B. Rec. II 564.
That Tyisday and Furisday ilk ouk salbe … imployit in grinding of malt … and the suckines meill to be grind at all vther tymes of the ouk

2. coll. The tenants astricted to a particular mill.(a) 1495 Alloway Baron Ct. 5 June.
[Thai] set the myll of Alloway with hale consent of the sukkyn of the barony of Alloway … to Thome Myllar 1505 Chart. Coupar A. II 116.
And tha sal do thair dewyteis leililly and trewly to our myl of Kethik as the laif of the sukin dois 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 109.
I the said lord for my pairt sall caus the sukkyne of all the barony to cum to the said mylne. And … till wphald the hoppar to draw stane and tre and to big the mylne hous [etc.] 1554 Glasgow Chart. II 513.
Fredome … to the saidis Archinbalde to altir … the saidis walk mylne in ane quheitt mylne … without prejudice of the sukin thirlit to oure mylne of Partik(b) 1521 Misc. Spald. C. V 293.
Thai sall do thair dewyties to our myl … as the laif of the suckyn dois 1627 Urie Baron Ct. 64.
The haill sucken is ordanit to keip the myln wnder … pane of … dubill multer for thair abstractit multeris 1659 Irvine Mun. II 81.
The inhabilitie of thair aun burrow mylnes aforsaids to serve the said sucken … throw the want of water 1659 Forbes Baron Ct. 225.
The haill cotteris, croftmen, and girsmen ar ordanit to help and contribute with the rest of the suckin for carying and transporting of stane 1668 Forbes Baron Ct. 275.
The haill suckin of the myln of Barflat hes inactit themselff … that … in that cais they sall pey multer for ilk boll … that he sall find goeing to vther mylnis 1678 Forbes Baron Ct. 317.
The said day it is statute … that the mylne-hous of Barflett shall be sufficiently wpholden … and ordaines the sucken to mak a sufficient calsie abefor the mylne dore(c) 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II 86.
Sokyn 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II 102.
Sokin

3. The lands astricted to a particular mill. Also attrib.Cf. Insuckin n. and Outsuckin n. 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 109.
Of the quhilk hous I sall mak the first cost and pament quhill I get pament fra the men of the sukkyne c1575 Balfour Pract. 495.
Gif ony man buyis corn in ane sucken or lordschip 1577 Inverness Rec. I 255.
Lyand in the territorie of Innernis vpon the suckin of the Kingis Myln of Innernis 1613 Retours II Inq. Spec. Ayr (781).
Cum molendino granario de Enterkin, terris molendinariis, lie sucken ejusdem, extendentibus ad 15 libratas terrarum 1624 Urie Baron Ct. 54.
The haill tennents within the suckin of the milne of Cowij ar … decernit and ordeanit to gang … and dyik in hauld the watter to the milne in the dames thairoff 1629 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 1 Oct.
That the haill tennentis within the suckin of Cessintullie … sall keip thair cornes [etc.] 1636 Misc. Spald. C. V 225.
Ilk miller sall bring in the fermes within thair suckin to the girneris for the crope 1635 1662 Forbes Baron Ct. 230.
The wholl tenentis … in the suk off Tammadis and the sukin of Enettis shall do duetie to the milles 1678 Banff Field C. (1903-4) 26.
Who brings any graine in another sucken shall grind the same at his owne mylne 1679 Corshill Baron Ct. 150.
The judge … findeing Johne Tullidaff to have abstracted his wholl malt frae the milne of the suckine 1684 Fountainhall Decis. I 276.
And that it was tempting those within the sucken to abstract and go away to that nearer millattrib. 1625 Burnett of Leys App. 228.
Mylnes, mylnelandis, multouris, and suckin wodes

b. In Orkney & Shetland: The administrative district under the jurisdiction of a bailie. Also const. of.(1) 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 26.
The first ministery or bailewick in order, to the south is Dunroseness … it hath but one minister, tho two preaching kirks, and but one sucken or bailewick 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 33.
Sucken, a bailiffrie, and the district under the bailiffs jurisdiction a1688 Wallace Orkney (1883) 111.
[A sucken is] a bailiffrie, so much ground as is under the bailiff's jurisdiction c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 18.
Hence the whole countrey was divided into as many suckens, bayliewicks, or foudries(2) 1564–5 Sc. Rec. Off. MS RH. 6/1978 (8 Feb.).
Vincentsius Hawik of Scatstay … sellis … ane mark of land lyand [in the] south sokin of Unst within the [paroc]hin of Sanct Olawe of Weik

4. The grain belonging to those tenants astricted to a particular mill.Cf. Dry multure n. 1512 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 110.
And herfor [blank] commandis all tennentis and inhabitantis within my said barony that thai [blank] cum with thar sukkyne to my said mylne 1552–3 Dundee B. Ct. II 207b (17 Jan.).
James Rollok elder fermorer of the common castell miln persewit [Andro] Browne for away having of his sukine fra the said mill 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II 304a (25 May).
Schawand that he hes maid gryt costis & expensis vpon the saidis mylnis & that he wantis ane gret part of the girst & suckine & proffeit thare of 1564 Reg. Privy S. V i 511/2.
Cum astrictis multuris et lie dry suckin eiusdem 1574 Inverness Rec. I 238.
To haif done wrang in the wrangus passing wyth thair sukkyn by the Kingis Myln to the myln of Kilbean 1575 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 268.
[Complaint against] taking away sucken fra the auld outhal mills of Orkney, whilk were observit of before inviolate 1578 Inverness Rec. I 261.
Decernit to haif done wrang in passing bye the Kingis mylnis wyth thair suckin 1583 Milne-Home MSS 209.
Gif ony persone or personis … passis fraudfullie or in contempt away with the gryst or succin to uther millis fra Coldinghame or Eymouth myll

B. adj. Astricted to a particular mill (also, to a person). Chiefly in the phrases bo(u)nd or thrall suckin. Cf. Thirl(l adj. 1577 Inverness Rec. I 255.
That quhar thai beand bond suckin and thrall suld [gang] to the Kingis mylnis of Innernis lyke as all the inhabitantis … of the said burcht … [they] hes maid ane new novatioun in the biggin of ane myln 1577 Inverness Rec. I 256.
The said Johne Ros seikis nocht na corne growand within the thrall suckin of the saidis Kingis Mylnis … bot extraneall victuallis cumand out of vther cornis 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 8 Nov.
Jame Duncan … gaif stait & seising of the quarter of the … myll & the quarter of the multeris quhilkis ar suckin to hyr, to Johne Gordone 1620 Grant Chart. 320.
They salbe requerit big, wphald, and inhald the dam of the myll of Abernathie, and carie tymber and staneis thairto, as bund and thrall suckin to the samen 1633 Inverness Rec. II 173.
The territorie and burgaige of Innernes, beinge land suckin and thrall to the kingis myln of Innernes 1658 Aberd. Council Lett. III 308. 1663 Forbes Baron Ct. 239.
All tennantis … sall punctuallie keep such millis as they ar bound succken to and pey their moulter and knaiship and doe dutie thairto 1677 Cramond Cullen Ann. 58.
William Leslie … complains upon the haill brewers of aill, bear, and aquavitie, that they goe … to other adjacent milnes, although they be bundsucken to him and his milne, so he is wanting of his multer 1699 Conv. Burghs IV 296.
The said provost, baillies and councill of the said burgh of Forras [thirled and astricted themselves and the said burgh, and whole community and inhabitants] in bound sucken [to the said Alexander Dumbar's mills of Forras]