這首曲子的作家至今仍然無人知曉。一個廣為流傳，但未被證實的說法是，這首曲子是由英王亨利八世（1491年－1547年）作給其愛人安妮·博林王后。安妮曾經拒絕了亨利八世的愛意，而令亨利八世對她有著更痴痴的苦戀。「自己的衣袖上套著情人的袖子」便是意味著「向世人宣告自己有心儀的對象」，也就是當自己穿戴著情人的衣袖，便像是向世人廣為宣傳對她的愛意。「綠袖子」在當時的英國有「妓女」的隱喻，而這首歌曲的內容，敍述了一個君王愛上平民女孩的故事，兩者令人不禁聯想到妻子眾多的國王亨利，以及其第二任妻子安妮皇后。
而在一些十六世紀末，十七世紀初的文獻也隱約有提及此曲的流傳。而這首曲子，曾被改編為不同的版本，或填入其他歌詞。當中較著名的有佛漢·威廉斯的「綠袖子幻想曲」（Fantasia On Greensleeves）及十九世紀英國聖詩創作家威廉·查特頓·狄克斯（William Chatterton Dix）的「奇妙聖嬰」（What Child Is This?），後者更被重新填詞。
而綠袖子一曲現今仍然繼續流傳，更成為很多媒體的配樂，或是重新演唱。如Playstation 2遊戲「異度傳說首部曲」就使用此曲作為配樂。在香港，這首曲因用來作為香港中學會考、香港高級程度會考及香港中學文憑的聆聽背景音樂而廣為人熟悉。
Greensleeves is a love song that may have been written by King Henry VIII of England. Greensleeves is probably the most famous tune ever written from the Renaissance (which means Rebirth). The renowned Leonard Cohen produced is own version called Leaving Green Sleeves which is a rather more irreverent take on the subject of a love that is lost.
Greensleeves(綠袖子)
作曲：Heusmann、Peterson、Laudahn、Kohrs
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Your vows you’ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
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.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
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 was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To 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.
