In life he had been accustomed to wear a military cocked hat, a judge’s full-bottomed cauliflower wig, and a naval officer’s jacket and trousers, symbolical of his being the head and arbiter of the naval, military, and judicial departments in his eleemosynary kingdom, these he bequeathed in the following manner: His _wig_ he left to the COURT OF CHANCERY, in the vague hope that they might obtain with it a little of his decision in equity, and promptness in justice. His _military hat_ he left to the HEADS of the HORSE GUARDS, and his _naval jacket_ and _trousers_ to the _old washerwomen_ that manage the GREENWICH HOSPITAL. The DEAL FIDDLE, on which he had been used to scrape his _native_ WOOD _notes wild_, we are happy to state, was taken out of lavender, and is now in the possession of the TYBURN _Ketch_ and Glee Club--the duplicate having been bequeathed to them for that purpose.
In conclusion we have only to state, that Billy was an accomplished cadger, a skilful musician, and adroit dancer--doing more on one leg than many others on two, and possessed abilities that as an actor would have rendered him a _shining_ ornament to the stage--“to hold, as t’were, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own black _image_!”
Billy was considered of sufficient public importance, when in the _flesh_, to be moulded and well _baked_ by a Potter, who taking up and moistening a lump of clay, said, “_Be ware!_” and then turned Billy out in one of his happiest moods and positions, with a broad grin on his black _mug_--a perfect _image_, suitable for a chimney or sideboard ornament; which found a ready sale at the time of its manufacture, but has now become very rare in perfect condition, and, much coveted by collectors to add to their Class, or Section of “ENGLISH CHARACTERS.” Specimens of this style of ware are exhibited in the Bethnal Green Museum, London. Henry Willett, Esq. of Brighton, also exhibits his fine collection of the same class of ware at the Brighton Free Public Library.
Peace to the manes of Black Billy Waters, Well-known throughout the Town! The reason that he left these quarters-- Is plain--He was by Death done _brown_.
His life was one continu’d round Of pleasure and of glee; His fiddle caus’d the hearts to bound Of children as big as me.