As a verb sken
is (northern english) to squint.
As a noun soken is
the ancient right (usually conferred by royalty) to hold a local court of justice and levy specific fees and fines a 'soke' or 'soken' was the area over which this right was established more specifically, the 'resort' (right) of specific farmers to have their grain ground at a specific mill or, inversely, the right of a mill to that custom also, specifically, a right of prosecution and judgement older meanings include a place that is regularly frequented the word 'soken' is used in stow (1598) in a way that implies regular usage / clear meaning, eg with reference to portsoken ward, outside the walls of the city of london which originated as a 'liberty' (a practically synonymous term) for a guild of knights .
