The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. The bay psalm book was published in 1640, more than a century and a half after the first gutenberg bibles and 20 years after the pilgrims had landed at plymouth. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. The bay psalm book, printed in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye in 1640, was the first book printed by the newly established cambridge press. The first edition to include notated music was the ninth edition 1698. Translated directly from hebrew into english, the bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, less than twenty years after the mayflower left plymouth, england. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. Please note that there are no folios in the bay psalm book facsimile. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, familiarly called the bay psalm book, was the first book.
The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. Isaiah thomass history of printing in the united states worcester, 1810 includes a catalogue of books printed by stephen day, and it is clear from thomass description of the bay psalm book that this copy was then still owned by william bentley. Davids psalter, a translation of the book of psalms into polish by jan kochanowski, 1579. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Bay psalm book was not only the first book printed in america, and the first book written in america. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. Nov 16, 20 let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640. Case study 10 the bay psalm book, 1640 1,700 copies were printed of the first book printed in british north americai. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. As such, puritans developed the practice of lining out the psalmhaving a deacon or clerk read each line of text before it was sung. The psalm book, written and printed by the puritans of massachusetts bay colony in 1640, was designed to allow a whole congregation to sing psalms together in church and at home. The bay psalm book s nearest equivalent in england, a psalter by the puritan parliamentarian francis rous, completely failed in its bid, despite official backing, although the scottish kirk did adopt a revised version of it in 1650. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. More than simple psalmsinging in english by robin a.
Rarest american book at auction fine books and collections. Psalm 23 bay psalm book, 1698, by john playford 1623. It was probably preceded by a small singlesheet production known as the oath of a freeman, of which no copy is extant. Psalm 98 bay psalm book, 1640, by thomas ravenscroft ca. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. Nov 27, 20 the bay psalm book was published in 1640, more than a century and a half after the first gutenberg bibles and 20 years after the pilgrims had landed at plymouth.
But both these psalters were increasingly deemed unsatisfactory for englishspeaking colonial life, so the attempt was made to create a new american psalter, the socalled bay psalm book published in cambridge, mass. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. The bay psalm book was printed on a press that had been sent over with 240 pounds of paper and one case of type. A facsimile reprint of the first edition of 1640 the facsimile notes on the reproduction. The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. Last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm book one of the most historic volumes in american religious history. Music of the southwest various artists the first half of this collection, sung by the margaret dodds singers, is of music taken from the first book ever printed in what became the united states of america the bay psalm book. In a few cases we will also provide a version that retains the 1640 spelling to give a flavor of how they looked in the original.
This little book of 1640 was precursor to lexington and concord, and, ultimately, to american political independence. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the. Preface to the bay psalm book 1640 songs of the puritans. The founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. Institute for studies in american music, department of music, school of performing arts, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, 1975 ocolc662687. The new paraphrase was so influential that it was first reprinted in 1647 in england. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. Designed to be inexpensive and easily portable, they addressed the puritan. In 1640 he printed some 1,700 copies of the 300page whole book of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre, commonly known as the bay psalm book. This is the 1640 the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. In 1640, the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. Chapter 2 examines a selection of these, ranging from the plain style of george wither, whose bid to supplant sternhold and hopkins ran afoul of the stationers monopoly, and the even more prosaic bay psalm book 1640, whose principal concern was wordforword faithfulness to the hebrew text, to the more literary work of george sandys, who wrote for private devotion rather than. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance.
Bay psalm book, 1640, the first book printed in british north america. Originally, the colonys residents looked to a committee of thirty men led by john eliot, thomas welde, and richard mather to translate all 150 psalms from hebrew into english. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. The reverend jesse glover imported the first printing press to the massachusetts bay colony in 1638, some 18 years after the first english settlers landed at plymouth rock. The bay psalm book was printed on a press that had been sent over with 240 pounds of paper and one case of. Bay psalm book the whole booke of psalmes first edition. A tiny hymnal from 1640 believed to be the first book ever printed in what is now the united states is set. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed. Feb 01, 2015 provided to youtube by naxos of america the whole booke of psalmes.
The book was used by nearly all the congregations in the colony of massachusetts bay hence the name of the bay psalm book. Not only is the text in the public domain, the book can be viewed in pdf form. Most of our transcriptions of the bay psalm book will use modernized american english, since our main purpose is the pragmatic one of wanting to encourage and aid the actual singing of the psalms. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. As an electroniconly publication offered as a downloadable pdf, the digital bay psalm book takes advantage of digital technology to offer meticulously rendered photographs of the 7. What is the bay psalm book but did you know that the bay psalm book was first printed in the colonies in 1640 and in reissues remained in use for over 100 years. The book is in its original binding, with the title page signed by mather.
Dec 11, 2012 last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm bookone of the most historic volumes in american religious history. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. The puritan divines of the massachusetts bay colony set out to produce a translation from the hebrew that was reflective of their unique brand of calvinism and more. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived for instance, old 100th. The bay psalm book, as it has come to be known, consists of a substantial introduction summarizing the creators philosophy and intentions, followed by translations of the psalms rendered into meter, enabling them to be sung to wellknown tunes of the day. The next set begins with two selections from the bay psalm book, published in boston or, more probably, cambridge in 1640. Zoltan haraszti, the enigma of the bay psalm book, 1956, p. The copy of the bay psalm book used to create the pdf additional files and the flipping book the read online button is one of 11 copies of the first edition known to exist and one of only four perfect copies. The first book printed in british north america, commonly known as the bay psalm book.
Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. Title from the bay psalm book, a facsim, reprint of the first ed. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first book length publication in. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. In 1640, the bay psalm book, a new translation of the psalms into metrical english verse, was produced by richard mather and john eliot for the massachusetts bay colony. With it, new england declared its independence from the church of england. Together, they served to disseminate puritan values for over a hundred years. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The vvhole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into.
The bay psalm book and the new england primer were, next to the bible, the most commonly owned books in seventeenthcentury new england. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. Reissued in successive editions, it remained in use for more than 100 years. The preface is possibly by mather, but could be by john cotton. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed into metrical rhyme for congregational singing. It was the first book printed in british north america. Historic american hymnal bay psalm book from 1640 may fetch. Psalm 100, old hundredth gregg smith singers ainsworth, h bay book of psalmes the coolidge, p. The first edition of the resulting bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, and sothebys will auction one of. The shakerlike character of the melody in this treatment of psalm 23 from the bay psalm book, 1640, rises steadily to a triumphant climax, moving from an a cappella statement of the melody, mounting through more complex harmonic textures toward its powerful end. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. The bay psalm book cambridge, 1640 mission music in california. Historic american hymnal bay psalm book from 1640 may.
The library of congress bay psalm book was the last copy remaining in private hands, and it was given to the. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at a. Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it also the most expensive book in the world. Its a translation of the old testament book of psalms, valuable for its rarity and because it was printed in 1640, the first englishlanguage book printed in america. The psalms in metre, faithfully translated for the use, edification, and comfort of. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at. The puritan divines of the massachusetts bay colony set out to produce a translation from the hebrew that was reflective of their unique brand of calvinism and more literal than the most popular psalter. Dec 03, 2012 the bay psalm books publication in 1640 came at a time when few could read and write words, never mind musical notation, and there were few copies of the book created to share in churches. Jan 29, 2017 the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first book length publication in the north american colonies. Bay psalm book the whole booke of psalmes first edition north america 1640 ad ebay.
The reverend jose glover put this into action when he resigned his post in surrey, england, and set sail for the massachusetts bay colony in 1638 with his family, possessions, and a printing press operation, replete with paper and. A2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing thomas princes annotations of variant readings from the 1647 reprint edition. Digital bay psalm book university of alabama press. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english.
As such, puritans developed the practice of lining out the psalm having a deacon or clerk read each line of text before it was sung. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The bay psalm book 1640 the new england primer 1683. It is reproduced here by courtesy of the john carter brown library at brown university. Printing the bay psalm book in 1640 required importing the tools and materials of printing to the new colony. The bay psalm book s publication in 1640 came at a time when few could read and write words, never mind musical notation, and there were few copies of the book created to share in churches. The bay psalm book, as it has come to be known, consists of a. The 1640 edition of the bay psalm book is the earliest surviving product of the dayes press, and was immediately adopted by nearly every congregation in massachusetts bay hence the volumes familiar name. Not until its ninth edition, printed in 1698, were any tunes printed in the bay psalm book. The bay psalm book, formally titled the whole book of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, was the first book printed on angloamerican soil. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640. Its first edition is recognized as the first book printed in north america not the first music book, but the very first book.
The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard. The translation of biblical psalms the bay psalm book was printed by puritan settlers in cambridge, massachusetts in 1640 and sold at a onelot auction in just minutes by sothebys. Translated by richard mather, john eliot, and thomas weld, among others. Aug 17, 2016 the founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal.
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