Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, &c./Part 2/Burnley Waits

WAITS AT BURNLEY.

For about three weeks before Christmas the inhabitants of Burnley and the neighbourhood are almost nightly roused from their slumbers by the "Christmas waits." Two men generally go together. They parade the streets and lanes, playing Christmas tunes on fiddles, or any other instruments they prefer. On stopping at any person's door they generally play some favourite air, and then wish the family a "Merry Christmas when it comes," and "hope that all are well within." These good wishes are followed up by the following ditty, chanted to a quaint old air by both performers:—

"Good master and mistress,
We wish you good cheer;
For this is Old Christmas,
A merry time of the year,
When Christ did come to save us
From all our worldly sin.
We wish you a happy Christmas,
And all good health within."

There are several variations of this ditty; but all are much to the same purport. After Christmas Day the "waits" go round to their friends and collect money. The last "wait" in Burnley was unfortunately burnt to death some years ago in a warehouse which took fire during the night. He had been his usual rounds, and had gone to sleep amongst the waste just before the fire broke out.

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