Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GREENSLEEVES, by                    
First Line: Greensleeves was all my joy
Last Line: And who but lady greensleeves?
Subject(s): Love


Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight;
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but Lady Greensleeves.
Alas, my Love! ye do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously:
And I have loved you so long,
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave.
I have both waged life and land,
Your love and goodwill for to have.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
I bought thee kerchers to thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly:
I kept thee both at board and bed,
Which cost my purse well favouredly.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
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.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroidered gorgeously:
Thy petticoat of sendal right:
And thus I bought thee gladly.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Thy girdle of gold so red,
With pearls bedecked sumptuously:
The like no other lasses had,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Thy purse and eke thy gay gilt knives,
Thy pincase gallant to the eye,
No better wore the burgess wives,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
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.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Thy gown was of the grossie green,
Thy sleeves of satin hanging by,
Which made thee be our harvest queen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Thy garters fringed with the gold,
And silver aglets hanging by,
Which made thee blithe for to behold,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
My gayest gelding I thee gave,
To ride wherever liked thee;
No lady ever was so brave,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
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.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
They set thee up, they took thee down,
They served thee with humility;
Thy foot might not once touch the ground,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
For every morning when thou rose,
I sent thee dainties orderly,
To cheer thy stomach from all woes,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
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.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
And who did pay for all this gear
That thou didst spend when pleased thee?
Even I that am rejected here,
And thou disdain'st to love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Well, I will pray to God on high,
That thou my constancy may'st see,
And that yet once before I die
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy, & c.
Greensleeves, now farewell! adieu!
God I pray to prosper thee:
For I am still thy lover true --
Come once again and love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight;
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but Lady Greensleeves.





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