I've no great desire to re-open the battle between Steve and Jim on this thread, but I was intrigued by a remark Steve made at one point:

"I think Price's slightly later ballad "James Harris/ The Demon Lover/ The House Carpenter/ A Warning for Married Women" was probably based on exaggerated reports from Plymouth."

I have a bit of an interest in this ballad and was wondering whether there exist actual contemporary reports from Plymouth relating to a maritime tragedy with or without a supernatural element, or whether you're extrapolating backwards from the broadside title?

Regarding Child 1, Steve wrote:

"I haven't looked closely at all oral versions but there's a strong probability they all derive from the 17thc print versions either directly or indirectly."

I haven't had your access to the broadsides, Steve, but I'm curious to know whether the ones you refer to contain references to the Devil, or were all of the romantic "get the riddles right and I'll marry you" variety.