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Greensleeves is a traditional English folk song.
It was a favorite in England in the days of Queen Elizabeth I, and Shakespeare mentions it in his play The Merry Wives of Windsor (ca 1602).
Legend has it that Greensleeves may have been composed by King Henry VIII (1491-1547) for his lover and future queen consort Anne Boleyn. Anne, the youngest daughter of Thomas Boleyn, rejected Henry's advances, as told by the song : Alas, my love, you do me wrong to cast me off discourteously... However, it is unlikely that King Henry VIII composed Greensleeves, as the song is written in a style which was not known in England until after Henry VIII died.
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