Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Cukstule, n. Also: cukstul(l, -stuyll, kukstull, kuk-, kucstule; cukystoll, cukestule, cuikstull, kuyk-stull; coukestule, coukstuill, -stool, cookstoole, -stooll; cokstuill, cockstule. [ME. cukstole, -stolle (c 1400), cuckestol (a 1215), also cokstol, cokestowle, and later cockstoll (1576), cookestoole (1659).] An elevated stool or chair on which persons (especially women) guilty of minor offences were placed and exposed to public derision.Occas. used in the plural form, as ane cokstuilles. 1294 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 313.
Ex australi parte loci qui dicitur le Kucstule in burgo de Aberden 1317 Misc. Spald. C. V. 7.
De illa terra jacente ex occidentali parte del Cukystoll 14.. Acts I. 33/2.
Gif scho makis ivil ale … , scho sall gif til hir mercyment viii s. or than thole the lauch of the toune, that is to say be put on the kukstule Ib. 364/2.
For a payr of schone of iiij. pennijs he aw to be put on the cuk stull 1503 Lanark B. Rec. 13.
For mendyn of the kukstull 1508 Dunferm. B. Rec. 157.
For drawing of thre treis to the cuk stuyll 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 182 (14 July).
To tak the greit tre of the belhous and mak ane kuyk stull and the trovne to be hong one it 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 133.
For deichting and beiring away of ane meidding and reid under the coukestule Ib. 136.
Gevin to twa pyonars to bring furth ane lang ledder furth of the kirk to the cukstule to put up Connis wyfe 1555 Acts II. 500/1.
The wemen perturbatouris for skafrie of money, or vtherwyse, salbe takin, and put vpone the cukstulis of euerie burgh or towne 1559 Peebles B. Rec. 256.
That na flitaris nor scauldis be hard on the gait … vnder the pane of puttin of thame in the cuke stulis, thair to remain induring the baillies will 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 6.
[All swearers] gife thai be of puyr degree, salbe put in cukstule or goffis. Item, all … blasphemaris of Goddis name to be putt in cukstulis Ib. 9.
Vnder pane of sitting in the cukstule for ane day 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 197.
To mak ane cokstuilles to be sett up at the directioun of my lord provest Ib.
For carying tymber out of Leith to be the coukstuill Ib.
For sand to fill up the holl that the cuikstull was set in 1660 Caithness Reg. Sasines (Reg. H.) II. 49.
The hie streit or mercate pleace of Thurso wher sometyme the cook stooll did stand 1667 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 97.
That ane couk stool be made and sett wp for punishing of malefactouris