Intrestin point Morris-ey - but I don't see knowledge as a problem.

"I doubt, but do not claim to know, that any survey done would find that almost none of the population have any clue as to what minstrelsy was."

A fair point and a good one.

"I doubt, but do not claim to know, that any survey done would find that almost none of the population have any clue as to what morris was." - A point I think I have made.

Excellent point Mr Snail:

1. categorical statements about there being no pre-minstrel evidence for blacking (of any sort)

but I, perhaps wrongly, assumed that this point was suggesting that some have suggested no pre-minstrel evidence for blacking (of any sort) had ever occured.

I accept both pre- minstrelsy blacking up - although almost none in morris - and plenty in other Folk drama. I presume poachers were to avoid shiny faces - as soldiers do sometimes now.