SEASONAL SPECIAL

MRS DEATH'S MEGA DEATH MORRIS

SEASONAL SPECIAL

Home

EASTER

Wayzgoose will be dancing with Oakworth men on Easter Sunday in Haworth

Pace egging predates Christianity. As happen with other Christian festivals, Easter replaced a much old festival. The word Easter comes from the name of the Saxon Goddess for springtime (eostre) whos sacred beast was the hare (early Easter Bunny?). Pace is from the old English name for Easter pashe. The egg symbolising life and resurrection.

Throughout Northern England and Scotland groups of men would tour local houses and farms performing pace egging plays which were a form of mumming play. The theme of the play is death and rebirth. A hero such as Lord Nelson or St George would be killed and then brought to life by a comic doctor. The players would introduce themselves with the pace egging song. They would then beg for alms, eggs and better still beer.

So if any of you see us Wayzgeese begging for eggs please give us some beer instead.

Here are a couple of songs sung at Easter the first being a pace egging song the second an Easter Carol

Wayzgoose Pace egging

PACE EGGING SONG

Here's one, two, three jolly lads all in one mind
We have come a pace egging and we hope you'll prove kind
We hope you'll prove kind with your eggs and strong beer
For we'll come no more nigh you until the next year

And the first that comes in is Lord Nelson you'll see
With a bunch of blue ribbons tied round by his knee
And a star on his beast that like silver do shine
And I hope he remembers it's pace egging time

And the next that comes in, it is Lord Collingwood
He fought with Lord Nelson till he shed his blood
And he's come from the sea old England to view
And he's come a pace egging with all of his crew

The next that comes in is our Jolly Jack Tar
He sailed with Lord Nelson all through the last war
He's arrived from the sea, old England to view
And he's come a pace egging with our jovial crew

The next that comes in is old miser Brownbags
For fear of her money she wears her old rags
She's gold and she's silver all laid up in store
And she's come a pace egging in hopes to get more

And the last to come in is old Tosspot, you see
He's a valiant old man and in every degree
He's a valiant old man and he wears a pigtail
And all his delight is a drinking mulled ale

Come ladies and gentlemen, sit by the fire
Put your hands in your pockets and give us our desire
Put your hands in your pockets and treat us all right
If you give nought, we'll take nought, farewell and goodnight

If you can drink one glass, then we can drink two
Here's a health to Victoria, the same unto you
Mind what you're doing and see that all's right
If you give naught, we take naught, farewell and good night

Mrs Death 'n' Gertie

SANS DAY CAROL

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,

And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk.

And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,

And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly, holly, holly!

And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly.

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,

And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross.

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,

And Mary bore Jesus who died for us all.

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood is it red,

Then trust we our saviour who rose from the dead.