f ytt it is ordered that if they doe
hereafter continue their former course of life in scolding and
brawling, that then John Mawde, the high constable there, shall
cause them to be soundlye ducked or cucked on the cuckstool at
Wakefield for said misdemeanour."

In the records of Wakefield Sessions, under date of October 5th, 1671,
the following appears:

"Forasmuch as Jane, the wife of William Farrett of Selby, shoemaker,
stands indicted at this sessions for a common scold, to the great
annoyance and disturbance of her neighbours, and breach of His
Majesty's peace. It is therefore ordered that the said Jane Farrett,
for the said offence be openly ducked, and ducked three times over
the head and ears by the constables of Selby aforesaid, for which
this shall be their warrant."

At Bradford, the ducking-stool was formerly at the Beck, near to the
Parish Church, and on the formation of the canal it was removed, but
only a short distance from its original position. Still lingering in the
West Riding of Yorkshire, we find in the parish accounts of East
Ardsley, a village near to Wakefield, the following item:

1683-4. Paid John Crookes for repairing stool 1s. 8d.

Norrisson Scatcherd, in his "History of Morley," and William Smith, in
his "Morley Ancient and Modern," give interesting details of the
ducking-stool at Morley.

Not far distant from Morley is Calverley, and in the Constable's
accounts of the village it is stated:

1728. Paid Jeremy Booth for powl for ducking-stool 2s.

Mr. Joseph Wilkinson, the historian of Worsborough, near Barnsley,
mentions two ducking-ponds in the township--one in the village of
Worsborough, another near to the Birdwell toll-bar; and, judging from
the frequency with which ducking-stools were repaired by the township,
it would seem they were often brought into requisition. The following
extracts are drawn from the parish accounts:

1703. For mending ye cuck-stool L0 0 6

1721. Ducking-stool mending 0 1 8

1725. For mending and hanging ye cuck-stool 0 1 0

1730. Pd. Thos. Moorhouse for mending ye stocks and
cuck-stool 0 1 0

" Pd. Jno. South for 2 staples for ye cucking-stool 0 0 4

1731. Thos. Moorhouse for mending ye ducking-stool 0 1 0