Steve Gardham: "Stower. Please see my post of 3rd April 6.28. The earliest/fullest version c1675 ..."

Sorry, Steve, I hadn't spotted your date, which slightly predates the broadside I linked to above. So it does seem, in the history of this ballad, she was stark naked, then she was fully clothed, then naked but not nude, then stark naked nude again!

Little Hawk, I really like your answer as to why she's naked in the song (regardless of its historicity, which we'll probably never know): hits the nail on the head, I think.

What a wonderfully interesting thread this is. Thanks, Richard, for bringing it up.