I believe that a very important aspect of folk music is that it can't be verified
as to it's beginnings by print. The tune of Greensleeves doesn't have to be in 3/4 or 6/8 time. It serves as well as a kind of hornpipe. I believe that this tune was probably in evidence much earlier than 1850 and it could have traveled all over the British Isles. Of course there is no proof. Otherwise it
can't be called folk music.

Frank Hamilton