'As far as I can see, you are still basing your entire argument on the unqualified assumption that the earliest printed sources you have traced must be the earliest forms of the songs - you need to show on what basis you believe this in order to make your case - and address all the reasons why it is probably not'

No Jim,
Not the entire argument. Whilst that still stands, and this is about the 20th time I've said it, it is based on taking every known version of 100s of ballads, stall copies and oral tradition, and comparing them closely with each other to make informed guesses about their evolution and geographical distribution, looking at their historical content where it exists, stylistic qualities, use of stock phrases, commonplaces, printers' dates, known authors where they exist, and of course numerous books on the printing trade, pedlars and their influence and a host of other factors


'The same goes for 'folk' tales, customs, beliefs, dances, music, lore, painting.... it is their common origin which identifies them all as "folk art" '

Sorry, Jim, this is just not true, except one would presume with folk painting, much of the rest originated in high art! Or certainly higher than the common folk, sophisticated sources in other words. Dances in particular.