Prepared for the new england society in the city of new york. Known as the bay psalm book, it is the first book published in english in what is now. With it, new england declared its independence from the church of england. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. 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. Stc 2738, houghton library, harvard university date. An american icon, a piece of heroic history it was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts.
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. Translated directly from hebrew into english, the bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, less than twenty years after the. Reissued in successive editions, it remained in use for more than 100 years. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were 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 whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. It was the joint product of richard mather, founder of that distinguished family of new england divines, thomas welde and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. 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. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped.
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. Nov 25, 20 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. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683.
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. The book was printed by puritan settlers in cambridge, mass. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day. A tiny hymnal from 1640 believed to be the first book. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. It is estimated that 1,700 copies of the book were printed, which sold for twenty pence.
Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it. Among the donated texts was a first printing of the the whole booke of psalmes, english americas first book, published in 1640 on a printing press near harvard that was imported from england in 1638, and was itself the first in the massachusetts bay colony. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. The bay psalm book and the new england primer were, next to the bible, the most commonly owned books in seventeenthcentury new england. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. Translated into english metre, was published in 1640 on a printing press brought over from surrey. Psalm 98 bay psalm book, 1640, by thomas ravenscroft ca. The bay psalm book 1640 the new england primer 1683.
In the bay psalm book, published in 1640, psalm 7 concludes this way. Historic american hymnal bay psalm book from 1640 may fetch. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some. The vvhole booke of psalmes, faithfully translated into english metre the bay psalm book, published in cambridge by stephen daye, 1640. 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. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. In 1640, the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre was published in cambridge. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new.
Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. One of only 11 surviving copies of bay psalm book the first tome printed in america in 1640 is to be sold by boston church. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrim fathers in massachusetts. A committee of thirty learned elders, including john cotton, richard mather, and john eliot, set about the task of creating a new translation of the 150 hebrew psalms into english and casting the text into verse for singing. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, familiarly called the bay psalm book, was the first book. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed into metrical. The bay psalm book, formally titled the whole book of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, was the first book printed on. The bay psalm book, which is supposedly the first published book of the 1640s in the us, has set an auction record by fetching 14. 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. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first booklength publication in the north american colonies. Please note that there are no folios in the bay psalm book facsimile. 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 translation of the biblical psalms, the bay psalm book, is seen at sothebys in new york. Nov 27, 20 the translation of the biblical psalms, the bay psalm book, is seen at sothebys in new york. A facsimile reprint of the first edition of 1640 the facsimile notes on the reproduction. Digital bay psalm book university of alabama press.
The bay psalm book is a religious and cultural manifesto of the puritan fathers and a towering icon of the founding of the united states. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. An unabridged compilation of the enigma of the bay psalm book by zoltaan haraszti originally published by the university of chicago press in 1956 and the bay psalm book, first published in 1640title page verso. Bay psalm book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
The bay psalm book has the distinction of being the first book published in british america. But the bay psalm book, as it is known, has a special place in bibliophiles hearts, so much so that michael inman, the curator of rare. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new york. Apr 12, 2014 psalm 98 bay psalm book, 1640, by thomas ravenscroft ca. Printing the bay psalm book in 1640 required importing the tools and materials of printing to the new colony. The the first book printed in north america, north of mexico, was the whole booke of psalmes, edited by richard mather, john eliot and others. The first book published in colonial america was the bay psalm book. 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. Historic american hymnal bay psalm book from 1640 may.
This little book of 1640 was precursor to lexington and concord, and, ultimately, to american political independence. It was printed by stephen daye at cambridge in 1640, was. The first book printed in british north america, 1640 table of contents the enigma of the bay psalm book, by zoltan haraszti the bay psalm book. The hymn explosion christian history christianity today. But did you know that the bay psalm book was first printed in the colonies in 1640 and in reissues remained in. 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. Nov 16, 20 but the bay psalm book, as it is known, has a special place in bibliophiles hearts, so much so that michael inman, the curator of rare books at the new york public library, said the auction was. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. 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. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. It was a text of psalms in rhyme, translated from hebrew, without musical notation because almost no one was musically literate.
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. Printing the bay psalm book in 1640 required importing the tools and. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and. The 1700 copies of the first edition provided puritans with a plain and familiar translation designed to represent more faithfully the hebrew psalms than did the version used by the. Published in cambridge, massachusetts in 1640 by stephen daye, the bay psalm book was a collection of holy songs translated from the old testaments hebrew into english. According to the website of the cambridge reformed presbyterian church the book was published in 1640 in what is now cambridge, massachusetts in a print shop now long gone, located in what is today harvard square.
The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. Because the printers were not trained typographers, the book is rife with. 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. Jun 15, 2007 the bay psalm book was the common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. 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 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. Note, for example, how the rendering of one psalm changed.
Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. With it, new england declared its independence from the church of. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. The first book printed in british north america, 1640 haraszti, zoltan on. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made in north america, it was also the first book written in north america, north of mexico. Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Mar 14, 2020 the bay psalm book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. In 1640, three ministers published the first book in the american colonies.
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. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. 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 book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts.
Bay psalm book last updated march 14, 2020 title page of the copy of the bay psalm book held by the beinecke rare book and manuscript library. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. Bay psalm book was not only the first book printed in america, and the first book written in america. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the. The founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. 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. The psaltery was soon in widespread use on both sides of the atlantic. It was the first book printed in british north america. Publication date 1903 topics bible, psalters, hymns, english publisher new york. The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. 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 the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony.
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. Designed to be inexpensive and easily portable, they addressed the puritan. The first book published in what is now the usa was a puritan hymnal called the bay psalm book. Those settings are recommended for use in the bay psalm book, so that is what i have. A metrical translation of the psalms, published by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. The bay psalm book from bodleian library publishing. A tiny hymnal from 1640 believed to be the first book ever printed in what is now the united states is set.
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