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LADY GREENSLEEVES Greensleeves was all my joy, Greensleeves was my delight; Greensleeves was my hart of gold, And who but my Lady Greensleeves. Alas, my love, you do me wrong, To cast me off discourteously; And I have loved you so long, Delighting in your company! 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 three kerchers to thy head, That were wrought fine and gallantly; I kept them both at board and bed, Which cost my purse well-favour'dly. 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 gold so red, With pearls bedecked sumptously, The like no other lasses had; And yet you do not love me! Thy purse, and eke thy gay gilt knives, Thy pin-case, gallant to the eye; No better wore the burgess' wives; And yet thou wouldst not love me! Thy gown was of the grassy green, The 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 blithe for to behold; And yet thou wouldst not love me! My gayest gelding thee I gave, To ride wherever liked thee; No lady ever was so brave; And yet thou wouldst not love me! 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! 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! 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! 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! And who did pay for all this gear, That thou didst spend when pleased thee? Even I that am rejected here, And thou disdainst to love me! 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! 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 my Lady Greensleeves. From 'A Handful of Pleasant Delites', 1584 from the collection of Israel G. Young @courtship @English filename[ GRNSLVS3 TUNE FILE: GRNSLVS CLICK TO PLAY DS |
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