How did patterers earn their living and what is an example of a story that demonstrated a patterer's skill?

Some patterers were musicians or orators, dramatically delivering "death-bed speeches" or "confessions." Others were musicians, entertaining in pubs and on the street by singing songs. These entertainers supported themselves by selling sheet music or printed copies of their material. Many young costers started out as singers, but because they were unable to read, could not learn new songs.