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Waits were civic minstrels, sometimes known as the Mayor's minstrels, who were employed by many towns in England from the 15th century. The term 'Wait' is thought to have come originally from the household watchman (Old French "guet"), who was often also a piper. Early waits formed a loud band of two or three shawms with a slide-trumpet or sackbut. The waits were sometimes expected to act as a musical alarm-clock at the doors of prominent citizens, apparently paid for by the citizen; but their main duties were in attending the Mayor in his procession on civic occasions, including his welcoming of royal and noble visitors at the town gates. The waits generally wore livery and, on ceremonial occasions, chains of office with shield-shaped badges such as those from Beverley. Beverley had waits by 1405, and these chains are among the oldest in England, dating from 1423.