“My Lady Greensleeves” as depicted in an 1864 painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
“Greensleeves” is a traditional English folk song and tune. The lyrics date back officially to 1580 with the tune either immediately accompanying them or added within a few decades afterwards. The poem is often erroneously ascribed to Henry VIII, however the style of the poem did not reach England until after Henry’s death and his daughter’s Elizabeth I’s reign.
Full Lyrics:
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.Your vows you’ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.chorus
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.chorus
If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.chorus
My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.chorus
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.chorus
Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.chorus
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.chorus
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