ENGLISPI BALLAD-SINGERS. 
475 
ence — the members of a pure democratic institution. The times had 
passed away when the wonted phrase of subserviency at the beginning 
of each song, “ Fair lordyages and ladies all, &c.^" was to be heard. 
But the ballad-singers did not enjoy alone empty popularity, as may 
be understood from the perseverance of the old singers, and the number 
of candidates that yearly sought refuge in the profession, from the 
risks of a more uncertain state of life. One of the most popular sing- 
ers of this early time was a boy, who, from the character of his voice 
and manner, is distinguished by the name of Outroaring Dick ; an 
epithet as honestly bestowed as any descriptive compound on any 
hero in Greek or Latin story. He was bred to a mechanical employ- 
ment; but he had a voice, the possession of which would teach a 
less enterprising spirit to aspire above all the gross toils of handicraft. 
His success was as permanent in the end, as it was steady in its 
growth. He first renounced the mechanical life ; in time his pros- 
perity enabled him to confine his journeys of business to the adjacent 
counties — ^the home circuit — and the decline of his life was spent in 
the dignified repose of an amateur. His earnings, according to Mr. 
Warton, amounted to about ten shillings a day : he was well known 
throughout Essex, and was not missed for many years from the great 
fair of Braintree. But Cheeke, for such was his real name, was 
haunted in the midst of his glory by a rival. Will Wimbars had a 
voice quite of as much compass and flexibility, but not of as much 
pathos, as Dick. Dick was the more popular man of the two ; he 
consulted times and tastes, and had a greater variety of songs : Wim- 
bars had a select list, from which he never departed. , Cheeke was 
free and easy, and had a turn for the humorous ; his rival was all for 
doleful tragedies. The former was sought as a companion ; the latter 
pleased best in the public exercise of his talents. 
But the most universally esteemed ballad-singer of his age was Mat 
Nash, a man from the “ North Countrie,’’ the officina of ballad-singers, 
as it had been formerly of the minstrels. Nash had a masculine vehement 
style ; all the border ballads he had nearly made his own, by the force 
and enthusiasm of his manner of singing them. H^s “ Hunts-up,’^ a 
song which obtained for the author so much favour in a former reign, 
was one of his most celebrated efforts. But undoubtedly his forte 
was the famous old ballad of Chevy Chase, then called the Hunting 
of Cheviot. This was the song which Sir Philip Sidney declared, 
moved his heart more than a trumpet. If instead of the “ Blind 
Crowder, with no rougher voice than rude style,” to whom he alludes, 
he had heard Nash accompany the words with the liveliest dramatic 
action — had he seen him fall suddenly on his knees, and move about 
cutting and thrusting on all sides, as if to realize the description of 
Witherington fighting on his stumps — it is easy to suppose what 
w'ould have been the result in favour of Nash. However, it so hap- 
pened that the date of Nash’s fortune was fixed at a later period ; for 
the great secretary Cecil was once so captivated with his singing, that 
he soon enabled him to retire from the profession. 
The accident that led to this fortunate reconnoitre is not imperti- 
nent to our subject : — in the time of a dearth, which was severely felt 
in the city, the famous ballad-maker Delone composed a song reflect- 
I 
