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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cuke, Cuik, Couk(e, n. Also: cuk, cwke; cuike, cuick, cuyk, cwik, coik; cowk, coock. [Northern ME. cuke, midl. and southern cooke, coke, OE. cóc. See also Kuke.]

1. A man employed in cooking food for a household or establishment or as a business.Early examples in personal names are Robertus Couke (1345), Thomas Cuk (1365), Johannes Cuk (1368).(a) 1375 Barb. v. 340.
Thai that in the castell were Yschit out, … Outane a cuke and a portere Ib. 384.
He … enterit, and the portar tuk Rycht at the ȝat, and syne the cuk 1453 Exch. R. V. 535.
In manibus … Walteri Cuke et Johannis Cuke, Theotonici, coci regine c1450-2 Howlat 703.
The boytour callit was cuke, that him weile kend in craftis of the ketchyne a1500 Henr. Fab. 105.
Had I dry breid, I compt not for na cukis Ib. 269.
With all coursis that cukis culd deuyne 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 110.
To Schaw the cuke, at the Kingis commande, v vnicornis 1521 Douglas Corr. 80.
Al his [sc. the King's] servandis … sik as cukis and al othir menn of office 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 10.
Commandand me beir cumpanie to the cukis c1552 Id. Mon. 550.
To colȝearis, cairtaris, and to cukis, … my ryme sall be diractit 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 205.
Quhair it happinis twa … tauernaris, baxtaris, cukis, to be togidder dwelland 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 64.
The famous king of Carrike and his cukes(b) 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. 127.
John Orrok … ves amerciat for the strublyn of Andro Persone, cuyk 1546 Acts II. 467/2.
Dauid Kirkcaldy, cuik 1560 Rolland Seven S. Epil. 32.
Sone smeir thé ouir with smiddie smuik, Or scour pottis to sum creischie cuik 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 7.
The cuik, stewart, portar, and pantriman, ilk ane of thayme ane bread a1578 Pitsc. I. 324/20.
The king … gart wairne the cuikis and stewarttis to mak his supper redy be foure houris 1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. 873.
Of prayer and of reiding of the Word … for the maist part abused and profanit be cuiks, stewartis, jackmen, and sicklyke 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 139.
He that forceis … the cuick to sett on fyre, or mak meitt reddy [etc.] 1607–8 Misc. Spald. C. V. 82.
To Trupe, the cwik, for playing on the swesche 1622-6 Bisset II. 259/8.
Of al pilage … the barboure, cuik, and gunner gettis na pairt 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 61.
Bankis payis in land maill … iiij m. coist, and augmentit be Adrian the cuick ij m. coistfig. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 107 (T).
Thy scrowis obscuir ar borrowit fra sum buik; Fra Lyndsay thow tuik, thow art bot Chauceris cuik(c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 64.
The erle … commandit his coukes to prepaire the bancquet 1593 Reg. Morton I. 187.
It is guid that ȝour Lo. command ȝour cowkis and stewerttis to mak good cheir 1675 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 204.
To tak ane guid hous for serving the leidges as ane commoune coock

b. Maister cuke, the head cook of the royal or other large household. 14.. Acts I. 346/2.
For the fee … of the butillar x li … the maister cuke v li. 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 62.
Will Robisone, the Kingis master cuke 1501 Ib. II. 41.
Giffin to the maister cuke that he bocht in Edinburgh to the ladyis upsetting fest 1511–2 Ib. IV. 329.
Tua bulgettes to the maister cuik to turse the silvir weschell in 1541 Ib. VII. 455.
Gevin to the maister coik, to support him for expensis maid in tyme of sekenes 1557 Melrose R. Rec. III. 155.
James Macklane, maister cuyk to my Lord Commendatar 1568 Fleming Q. Mary 511.
The Inventar of the Quenis graces cleithing … ressavid be the Quenis graces master cuik 1611 M. Works Acc. IX. 3 b.
To the m[aste]r coukes chalmer duire ane new loke

2. Attrib. with boy, lass. 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III. 121.
I was careit to the Bischope of Ely's howse in Holburne; quhair I remanit, and two serwandis … , with my cooke boy 1663–6 Household Bks. Abp. Sharp 20.
To Williame Scharpis stewart his cooklass