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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: VIR-WAT |
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WAITS (A.S. wacan, to " wake " or " watch,") , the carol-singers and itinerant musicians who parade the streets at night at Christmas time. The earliest waits (those of the 14th and 15th centuries) were simply watchmen who sounded horns or even played a tune on a flute or flageolet to mark the hours. This appears to have been known as " piping the watch." The black book of the royal household expenses of Edward IV., under date 1478, provides for " a wayte, that nyghtely from Mychelmas to Shreve Thorsdaye pipe the watch within this courte fowere tymes; in the somere nightes three tymes and maketh bon gayte at every chambre doare and offyce, as well as for feare of pyckeres and pilfers." Elaborate orders as to his housing occur. Thus he was to eat in the hall
halfpenny
household. He had a livery given him and during illness an extra allowance of food. Besides " piping the watch " and guarding the palace against thieves and fire, this wait had to attend at the installation of knights of the Bath. London and all the chief
corporation waits certainly from the early 16th century, for in the privy purse accounts of Henry VIII. occurs (1532) the entry " Item, the XI daye (of October) paied to the waytes of Canterbery in rewarde . . . vijs. vjd." In 1582 Dudley, earl
corporation of London asking that a servant of his should be admitted to the city waits. These borough waits appear, how-ever, to have been more nearly akin to the medieval troubadours or minstrels who played to kings and nobles at and after the evening meal
special
ordinary street watchmen appear to have arrogated to themselves the right to serenade householders at Christmas time, calling round on Boxing Day to receive a gratuity for their tunefulness as well as their watchfulness. When in 1829 their place as guardians of the city's safety was taken by police, it was left for private individuals to keep up the custom.End of Article: WAITS (A.S. wacan, to " wake " or " watch,") If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/VIR_WAT/WAITS_AS_wacan_to_wake_or_watc.html"> WAITS (A.S. wacan, to " wake " or " watch,") </a> |
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