These concert lessons were arranged for six instruments--viz. two viols (treble and bass), a flute, a cittern (a kind of guitar, strung with wire), a treble lute, and a pandora, which was a large instrument, similar to a lute, but strung with wire in lieu of catgut. The following is a description of the York Waits, end of seventeenth century: In a Winter's morning, Long before the dawning, 'Ere the cock did crow, Or stars their light withdraw, Wak'd by a hornpipe pretty, Play'd along York City, By th' help of o'er night's bottle Damon made this ditty.... In a winter's night, By moon or lanthorn light, Through hail, rain, frost, or snow Their rounds the music go; Clad each in frieze or blanket (For either, heav'n be thanked), Lin'd with wine a quart, Or ale a double tankard. Burglars send away, And, bar guests dare not stay; Of claret, snoring sots Dream o'er their pipes and pots, * * * * * Candles, four in the pound, Lead up the jolly Round, While Cornet shrill i' th' middle Marches, and merry fiddle, Curtal with deep hum, hum, Cries we come, come, And theorbo loudly answers, Thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum. But, their fingers frost-nipt, So many notes are o'erslipt, That you'd take sometimes The Waits for the Minster chimes: Then, Sirs, to hear their musick Would make both me and you sick, And much more to hear a roopy fiddler call (With voice, as Moll would cry, "Come, shrimps, or cockles buy"). "Past three, fair frosty morn, Good morrow, my masters all." With regard to their modern practice of playing during the night-tide, we find the following explanation in an _Essay on the Musical Waits at Christmas_, by John Cleland, 1766. Speaking of the Druids, he says: "But, whatever were their reasons for this preference, it is out of doubt that they generally chose the dead of night for the celebration of their greatest solemnities and festivals. Such assemblies, then, whether of religion, of ceremony, or of mere merriment, were promiscuously called _Wakes_, from their being nocturnal. The master of the _Revels_ (_Reveils_) would, in good old English, be termed the Master of the _Wakes_. In short, such nocturnal meetings are the _Wakes_ of the Britons; the _Reveillons_ of the French; the _Medianoche_ of the Spaniards; and the _Pervigilia_ of the Romans. The Custom of _Wakes_ at burials (_les vigiles des morts_) is at this moment, in many parts, not discontinued.