Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ~ Isaiah 7:14
Christmas Song Lyrics Compiled by Charles P. Scott
Good King Wenceslas
Lyrics
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Steven,
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shown the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel
Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know it telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear the thither
Page and monarch, forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather
Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how
I can go no longer
Ark my footsteps my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly
In his master's step he trod
Where the snow lay dented
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
About This Song
‘Good King Wenceslas’ may be one of the most popular Christmas carols ever written – but the story behind it is bizarre and gruesome.
The man we know as ‘Good King Wenceslas’ was actually Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia. He was also known as Vaclac the Good, or Svatý Václav in Czech and lived from c.907 to 28 September 935.
And the reason we have his exact date of death is that he was assassinated – on the orders of his brother, appropriately named Boleslaus the Cruel.
The words to the carol were written in 1853 by John Mason Neale but the melody is much older – it’s a 13th-century tune called ‘Tempus adest floridum’ in praise of the spring.
The carol was written for the Feast of St Stephen, better known as Boxing Day. And it celebrates the long tradition of charitable giving on the Second Day of Christmas.
It’s become one of the best loved carols ever written – and was even performed by The Beatles.
