Both Northern English and Southern Scots shared in the identified tradition of Border ballads, particularly evinced by the cross-border narrative in versions of "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" sometimes associated with the Lancashire-born sixteenth-century minstrel Richard Sheale.D. Gregory, '"The Songs of the People for Me": The Victorian Rediscovery of Lancashire Vernacular Song', Canadian Folk Music/Musique folklorique canadienne, 40 (2006), pp. 12-21. right|thumb|Illustration by Arthur Rackham to Young Bekie. It has been suggested that the increasing interest in traditional popular ballads during the eighteenth century was prompted by social issues such as the enclosure movement as many of the ballads deal with themes concerning rural laborers.Robin Ganev,Songs of Protest, Songs of Love: Popular Ballads in 18th Century Britain James Davey has suggested that the common themes of sailing and naval battles may also have prompted the use (at least in England) of popular ballads as naval recruitment tools.
BoTH NOrthErn enGlish AND soutHERn scots shared in the ideNtifiEd TradiTION OF bordEr BAlladS, particuLaRly evinced by thE crosS-Border Narrative In veRSioNs of "the bALLAD of cHevy ChaSE" sOMetimes asSoCIateD WIth The lancAsHiRe-BorN SIXteENTh-century miNsTrEL riChaRd sHeale.d. GrEgory, '"The sonGs Of the pEOPle fOr Me": the vIcTOrIAn redisCoVery Of laNcaShIre vERnaCUlAr song', cAnaDiAN folk musiC/MUsIQuE folkLoriquE CAnadiEnnE, 40 (2006), pp. 12-21. rigHT|THumb|ilLUstratiOn By aRthUR RAcKHam tO youNg BeKie. it haS bEen suggesTed THat the incrEasing InterESt In TrAdITIonal poPular BaLLAdS DurIng the eigHTEENth cEnturY waS PrompTeD bY soCiaL issuEs Such aS the enClOsure movemeNt as ManY oF tHe balladS dEAL with themeS conCeRNing rural LAbORErs.robiN ganev,sONgS of proteSt, Songs oF lOvE: popular ballads In 18th ceNTUry bRitaIN james davey hAs Suggested that tHe comMoN theMes Of SAIliNG aNd navAl BAttles maY Also have ProMpted the USe (At least iN eNgLaND) of pOPUlaR BallAds as nAval reCrUitment toOLS.