The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #6015   Message #3265609
Posted By: GUEST,Chilli
29-Nov-11 - 03:09 PM
Thread Name: Greensleeves ... Whence the name?
Subject: RE: GREENSLEEVES ... Whence the name?
Well having read the entire song and without knowing the "morals" of the time it always sounded to me like a man wooing a woman with valuable gifts including servants. Seemed to me that green was perhaps her favourite colour and had nothing to do with prostitution of any type.

The way the song was registered suggests that perhaps there was an "old" version. Certainly if the urban legend of Henry VIII being involved in the initial writing of it is correct I could see an argument for it being hidden away. Considering how the marraige to Anne ended he probably would not want to be reminded of the song and therefore would have discarded it. Anyone foolish enough to have played it probably would have had their reflective aparatise removed.

Here is another legend for you. Henry did not have Anne executed but instead executed a woman of similar appearance in her place. Sending Anne into exile with certain items one of which could have been the song it was not returned to England until years after Henry's death. Or it could have been written after the fact and the references to wooing the woman who did not love him are referring to the facts of his relationship with Anne. He would have kept it hidden until after his death as it would have made him appear weak. It may also have suggested that Anne was still alive for how else could she admit love before his death.