Am I correct in think the first of these statements is based in detailed academic research and the second is a notion with little or no evidence?

Steve Rowley "considered/was invited" to do a PhD on Folk/Morris. He showed me the chronology of Morresque as it moved down-market and evolved. This was from documents available in museums to researchers. He didn't do the PhD, but moved on to the Giants of Sheffield/Spain.

If you refuse to take this evidence, albeit second hand, consider the movement of (say) "designer" fashion, or Estate Agents' lexicon. The "designer" adjective adds little value today but 10 years ago it was used for expensive tranklements. And Estate Agentspeak, speaks for itself, cottages have 5 bedrooms these days!

No matter how currently superior we choose to be, human physchie is no different in this context. We follow fashion, we strive to think ourselves better, and we are curious of the "new". Or we are arch traditionalists. And most of us are a healthy mix thereof.

Morris is what is left of an absorption of many influences and it is still going on. And whatever happened before Morresque, they danced. The evidence is there.