My Lady Greensleeves, or as it is more commonly known, Greensleeves, is an English folksong with unknown origins. Some believe that it was written by King Henry VIII, the Tudor monarch notorious for creating the Church of England, which enabled him to marry and divorce multiple times—he had a total of six wives during his lifetime. An educated man with some knowledge of music and the ability to play several different instruments, King Henry supposedly wrote Greensleeves and its lyrics as a love poem to his second wife, Anne of Boleyn, who was the mother of the future “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I. Some historians point out that King Henry could not have written Greensleeves since it followed an Italian format that was not introduced to England until after King Henry’s reign. Adding more confusion to the question of the authorship of both the tune and lyrics of Greensleeves, various printers in England printed numerous versions of the popular song. This iconic tune has been incorporated into the Christmas hymn What Child Is This and Vaughan Williams’ orchestral score for the opera Sir John in Love. My favorite version of Greensleeves is, of course, V. Williams’ arrangement, in which our ever-familiar Greensleeves segues into another English folk tune, Lovely Joan, and back into Greensleeves.

The Name “Greensleeves”

The name Greensleeves most likely refers to a prostitute or a lover, since in Renaissance England, green sleeves were worn by prostitute women as a sign of their status. (How ironic for the same tune to be applied to a Christian hymn about Jesus.) Although this might seem immoral, the lyrics prove that the “Lady Greensleeves” is probably just a woman who was fervently admired by the writer of the lyrics, as indicated by the lines where she rejects her admirer. Regardless of the identity of “Lady Greensleeves,” the song is still one of the most well known love songs of England.

For those interested in Greensleeves, I have lyrics and music for two instruments, particularly for two violins, as I only know how to play the violin. The music was adapted from the full orchestra version by Vaughan Williams. There may be errors in the duet version, as only two “voices” at a time were listened to and copied by ear from a CD (it is kind of hard to find the full score of the music if you don’t want to buy the whole thing). My handwriting is very messy, and the original version sounds much better. Enjoy! Merry Christmas

Click on these for a simplified version of  Ralph Vaughan Williams’  “Fantasia on Greensleeves”
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~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

Lyrics from http://www.soundexp.com/history.html —Visit to learn more^^

From http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/snd/greensleeves.html —Here’s another site:)“What Child Is This?” (words by William Chatterton Dix ca. 1865)

What Child is this, who lays to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him praise,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh;
Come, peasant king, to own Him.
The King of Kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him praise,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, oh haste to bring Him praise,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Background written by me^^, from various internet sources.