Obs. Forms: 4–5 cok-, kuk-, 5 cuc-, 5–6 cuk-, coke-, 5–7 cuck-, cook(e-, 6–7 cock-, and stule, stole, stool(e, etc.; also 5 cuxtole. (See CUCKING-STOOL.]
1. = CUCKING-STOOL.
1200–15. in Whittaker, Hist. Richmondshire, II. 422. Faciet meliorem finem quem poterit, vel ibit ad Cuckestolam.
c. 1320. Poem on Times Edw. II. (Percy Soc.), lxxii. The pelery and the cok-stol.
c. 1400. Burgh Laws, lxiii. in Sc. Stat., I. 345. Gif scho makis evil ale … scho sall gif … viiis. or … be put on þe kukstule.
1423. Leet Bk. Coventry (in Promp. Parv., 107). Cokestowle made apon Chelsmore grene to punysche skolders and chidders, as ye law will.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 106/2. Cukstole, for flyterys, or schyderys [v.r. cukstolle, cucstool].
1576. in E. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., Euery woman that is a scould shall … be sett vpon the cockstoll and be thrise ducked in the water.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Woman’s Prize, III. i. We’ll ship ’em out in cuckstools; there they’ll sail … till they discover The happy islands of obedience.
1659. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 229. That a new Cooke Stoole bee made.
1768–9. in Kelly, Anc. Rec. Leicester, 48. Paid Mr. Elliott for a Cuckstool, by order of Hall £2.
[1884. Holland, Cheshire Gloss., A street in Macclesfield is called Cuckstool Pit Hill.]
¶ 2. Erroneously taken for the pillory.
1722–30. Ramsay, Fables, Twa Cut-purses. The tane … clam the high cookstool, And put his head and baith his hands Through holes where the ill-doer stands.
