Good King Wenceslas

"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol, in which the king is blessed for giving alms to a poor peasant on St. Stephen's Day, 26 December, the day after Christmas Day. The subject of the carol is the historical Saint Wenceslas, (907–935), Duke of Bohemia.

Related Topics:
Christmas carol - St. Stephen's Day - 26 December - Christmas Day - Saint Wenceslas - 907 - 935 - Duke - Bohemia

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The tune is "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("Spring has unwrapped her flowers"), a 13th century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582.

Related Topics:
13th century - Carol - Swedish - Finnish - Piae Cantiones - 1582

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In 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, Her Majesty?s Envoy and Minister at Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to the Rev. John Mason Neale (Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex) and the Rev. Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark?s College, Chelsea). The book was entirely unknown in England at that time.

Related Topics:
1853 - G. J. R. Gordon - Stockholm - John Mason Neale - Sackville College - Sussex - Thomas Helmore - St. Mark?s College - Chelsea - England

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Neale translated some of the carols and hymns, and in 1853, he and Helmore published 12 carols in Carols for Christmas-tide (with music from Piae Cantiones). In 1854, they published 12 more in Carols for Easter-tide. The inspirational copy of Piae Cantiones is now said to be in the British Museum.

Related Topics:
Hymn - 1854 - British Museum

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The lyrics are by Neale (1818–1866). He may have written the hymn some time earlier; he related the story on which it is based in Deeds of Faith (1849).

Related Topics:
1818 - 1866 - Hymn - Deeds of Faith - 1849

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The lyrics are in the public domain and are as follows:

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:Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,

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:When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;

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:Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,

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:When a poor man came in sight gath'ring winter fuel.

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:"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,

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:Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"

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:"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;

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:Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."

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:"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:

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:Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."

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:Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;

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:Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

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:"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;

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:Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer."

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:"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly:

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:Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

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:In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;

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:Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.

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:Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,

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:Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

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