TY Steve,

I agree that the print versions supplied by Baskervill are not antecedents but rather are examples of the rejected suitor.

I'm contacting Peter Millington about the Plough Plays (Wooing Plays) to see if perchance there are earlier examples of "Madam" in these plays.

The obvious connection with the children's songs has been pointed out by Baekervill and others. The differences are significant enough that a separate study of "Madam" as found in plough plays should be made.

Richie