"The earliest mention of the ballad of _Green Sleeves_, in the Registers of the Stationers' Company, is in September, 1580, when Richard Jones had licensed to him _A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Green Sleeves_." "_Green Sleeves_, or _Which nobody can deny_, has been a favorite tune from the time of Elizabeth to the present day, and is still frequently to be heard in the streets of London to songs with the old burden, _Which nobody can deny_. It will also be recognized as the air of _Christmas comes but once a year_, and many another merry ditty." CHAPPELL'S _Popular Music of the Olden Time_, p. 227. _Greensleeves_ is twice alluded to by Shakespeare in _The Merry Wives of Windsor_; Act ii. Sc. 1; Act v. Sc. 5. Alas, my love, ye do me wrong To cast me oft discurteously, And I have loved you so long, Delighting in your companie. _Greensleeves was all my joy_, _Greensleeves was my delight_, _Greensleeves was my heart of gold_, _And who but Ladie Greensleeves_. I have been readie at your hand 5 To grant what ever you would crave; I have both waged life and land, Your love and good will for to have. _Greensleeves was all my joy, &c._ I bought thee kerchers to thy head That were wrought fine and gallantly; 10 I kept thee both at boord and bed, Which cost my purse well favouredly. _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._ I bought thee peticotes of the best, The cloth so fine as fine might be; I gave thee jewels for thy chest, 15 And all this cost I spent on thee. _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._ Thy smock of silke, both faire and white, With gold embrodered gorgeously, Thy peticote of sendall right, And this I bought thee gladly.[L20] 20 _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._ Thy girdle of gold so red, With pearles bedecked sumtuously,-- The like no other lasses had,-- And yet thou wouldest not love me. _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._ Thy purse, and eke thy gay guilt knives, 25 Thy pincase, gallant to the eie,-- No better wore the burgesse wives,-- And yet thou wouldst not love me. _Greensleeves was all my joy, &c._ Thy crimson stockings, all of silk, With golde all wrought above the knee; 30 Thy pumps, as white as was the milk, And yet thou wouldst not love me. _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._ Thy gown was of the grassie green, Thy sleeves of satten hanging by, Which made thee be our harvest queen, 35 And yet thou wouldst not love me. _Greensleeves was all my joie, &c._