I agree with some of that Eliza - but sorry I can't fathom which Greg you mean (although I'm gradually matching some of the nicknames to real names that some others seem to already know). Also, I think we do know that for centuries English folkies did sing the lyrics of E. trads mostly unaccompanied, via the simple repetition of a tune. Thus, the EFDSS recording of Joseph Taylor singing "Creeping Jane" or yourself singing "The Grey Cock" unaccompanied ARE pretty much what our folkier English forebears did for centuries (without recording/amplifying devices, for the most part, of course).
And, as for grey matters, curiousity killed the cat, but I'd still like to know if Martin has ever had the chance to try an English cittern, which looks and sounds a great instrument to me, as above.

For Ed:

Poem 206 of 230: MY DIET

Chasing breads, nuts, bananas,
    Red sauce, apples, sultanas,
Crackers, conserves, cucumbers,
    Pickles, porridge, pottages -

Lemon barley,
    Cocoa, coffee,
Or cups of tea.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Don - if you had read my poems (same above link), you'd know that I've looked, with a regulationist's eys, far beyond "immigration/emigration...who can sing which songs" (you) and "cups of tea" (me)!
To Woody via Smokey - I'd certainly tilt my forks that way.
Don, again - I'm glad things worked out okay for your ice-skating cum teaching sister...have you noticed that the ISU have recently brought in competition regulations whereby skaters, in some categories, must choose folk music - preferably, but not strictly, from their own nation; I do follow it, and did my bit to campaign for suchlike, via Eurosport; also, before these regulations came in, the Scottish dancers, the Kerrs, did this very enjoyably with Scottish folk tunes...have you seen them?