Dear list: True, it's difficult to date folk music. But one would be wise to consult Bertrand Bronson's monumental collection in 4 vols., Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads (Princeton UP, 1959-72). Bronson is aware of such things as ground bass patterns that underlie such tunes as Greensleeves, and is especially good on identifying tune families.
Ed Doughtie To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
