This popular Christmas Carol was published by Village Press, Hingham, Massachusetts in 1894
As you can already see, everything, including text is richly decorated. To give you a hand at reading, here is basic data in the more readable form:
Good King Wenceslas, a Carol Written by Dr. Neale, pictures by Arthur Gaskin, with an introduction by William Morris.
Good King Wenceslas, a Carol Written by Dr. Neale, pictures by Arthur Gaskin, with an introduction by William Morris.
Arthur Gaskin was the son of a decorator and himself an active member of the Arts & Crafts movement. After a decorative border, a few decorative capital letters are the least we can expect.
Here we go with text and illustrations.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS LOOK'D OUT
ON THE FEAST OF STEPHEN,
WHEN THE SNOW LAY ROUND ABOUT,
DEEP, AND CRISP, AND EVEN.
BRIGHTLY SHONE THE MOON THAT NIGHT,
THOUGH THE FROST WAS CRUEL,
WHEN A POOR MAN CAME IN SIGHT
GATH'RING WINTER FUEL.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS LOOK'D OUT
ON THE FEAST OF STEPHEN,
WHEN THE SNOW LAY ROUND ABOUT,
DEEP, AND CRISP, AND EVEN.
BRIGHTLY SHONE THE MOON THAT NIGHT,
THOUGH THE FROST WAS CRUEL,
WHEN A POOR MAN CAME IN SIGHT
GATH'RING WINTER FUEL.
HITHER, PAGE & STAND BY ME
IF THOU KNOW'ST 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."
IF THOU KNOW'ST 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 THEM THITHER."
PAGE AND MONARCH, FORTH THEY WENT,
FORTH THEY WENT TOGETHER;
THROUGH THE RUDE WINDS LOUD LAMENT
AND THE BITTER WEATHER.
BRING ME PINE-LOGS HITHER:
THOU AND I WILL SEE HIM DINE
WHEN WE BEAR THEM THITHER."
PAGE AND MONARCH, FORTH THEY WENT,
FORTH THEY WENT TOGETHER;
THROUGH THE RUDE WINDS LOUD 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."
"MARK MY FOOTSTEPS, MY GOOD PAGE,
TREAD THOU IN THEM BOLDLY;
THOU SHALT FIND THE WINTER WIND
FREEZE THY BLOOD LESS COLDLY."
AND THE WIND BLOWS STRONGER;
FAILS MY HEART, I KNOW NOT HOW.
I CAN GO NO LONGER."
"MARK MY FOOTSTEPS, MY GOOD PAGE,
TREAD THOU IN THEM BOLDLY;
THOU SHALT FIND THE WINTER WIND
FREEZE THY BLOOD LESS COLDLY."
IN HIS MASTER'S STEPS HE TROD,
WHERE THE SNOW LAY DINTED;
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.
WHERE THE SNOW LAY DINTED;
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.
There were 185 copies of this book which was printed by hand by Fred and Bertha Goudy. The project was very time-consuming and finished only in 1904.