Alas my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously,
And I have loved you for so long,
Delighting in your company.
CHORUS:
Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight;
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but Lady Greensleeves?
Thou canst desire no Earthly thing
But still thou hadst it readily
Thy music still I play and sing
And yet thou wouldst not love me
Well will I pray to God on high
That thou my constancy may'st see
And that once more before I die
Thou wouldst vouchsafe to love me
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave;
I have both waged life and land,
Your love and good will for to have.
I bought thee kerchiefs for thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly;
I kept thee both at board and bed,
Which cost my purse well favoredly.
I bought thee petticoats of the best,
The cloth so fine as fine might be;
I gave thee jewels for thy chest,
And all this cost I spent on thee.
Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroidered gorgeously,
Thy petticoat of Sendall right,
And this I bought thee gladly.
Thy girdle of the gold so red,
With pearls bedecked sumptuously,
The like no other lasses had,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Thy purse and also thy gay gilt knives,
Thy pincase gallant to the eye;
No better wore the Burgesse wives,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Thy crimson stockings all of silk,
With gold all wrought above the knee,
Thy pumps as white as was the milk,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Thy gown was of the glossy green,
Thy sleeves of satin hanging by,
Which made thee be our Harvest Queen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Thy garters fringed with the gold
And silver aglets hanging by
Which made thee blythe for to behold
And yet thou woulds't not love me.
My men were clothe'd all in green
And they did ever wait on thee
No lady ever was so brave
And yet thou woulds't not love me.
They set thee up, they took thee down
They served thee with humility
Thy foot might not once touch the ground
And yet thou woulds't not love me.
For every morning when thou rose
I sent thee dainties orderly
To cheer thy stomach from all woes
And yet thou woulds't not love me.
And who did pay for all this gear
That thou didst spend when pleased thee
Even that I am rejected here
And thou disdainest to love me.
Your vows you've broken like my heart
O why did you so enrapture me
Now I remain in a world apart
But my love remains in captivity.
Greensleeves now farewell, adieu
God I pray to prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me!
