Bay psalm book 1640 pdf995

Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Publication date 1903 topics bible, psalters, hymns, english publisher new york. 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 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 bay psalm book of 1640 was the first book printed in america. There are only 11 copies, all owned by major institutions. 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. Prepared for the new england society in the city of new york. To the chief musician, a psalm of david 1 the heavens do declare the majesty of god. The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. Historic american hymnal bay psalm book from 1640 may fetch. 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. Originals of 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 was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony.

The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. 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. Music had been printed in the new world as early as the 1540s in mexican service books, nearly a century before even the first bay psalm book of 1640. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. In 1640, within ten years of their arrival in america, the puritans of massachusetts bay produced their first book and printed it on their own press. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse.

Printing the bay psalm book in 1640 required importing the tools and materials of printing to the new colony. A tiny hymnal from 1640 believed to be the first book ever printed in what is now the united states is set. News bay psalm book from 1640 breaks auction record for printed volume. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. The bay psalm book emerged as the first among many landmark american printingsmaterials that registered american thought, devotion and revolution. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. It was the first book printed in british north america. 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. Church torn over future of precious asset the boston globe. The bay psalm bookcambridge, 1640 mission music in california. 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.

Bay psalm book from 1640 breaks auction record for printed. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. 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 whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first booklength publication in. Jun 15, 2007 the bay psalm book was the common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. Bay psalm book, byname of the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. Only 11 copies of the bay psalm book from 1640 are known to exist today. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Nov 16, 20 the bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. 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. Bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony.

W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary emendation to psalm 87, verse 6. The volume was the bay psalm booka literary monument of the cultural and religious aspirations of the early settlers of the country. Courtesy, houghton library, harvard university vault stc 2738 3. 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. 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. In a few cases we will also provide a version that retains the 1640. Its a book that was not created to be fancy or splendid or valuable in any way other than the significance of its content, says derick dreher, the director of philadelphias rosenbach library, one of the few institutions to hold a bay psalm book. 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 founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. In 1698, the boston printers bartholomew green and john allen brought out a ninth edition of 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 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. Bay psalm book in metre 1640 logos bible software forums. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b.

As such, puritans developed the practice of lining out the psalmhaving a deacon or clerk read each line of text before it was sung. 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. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta. 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. A book of psalms which is amongst the first books ever printed in america is on the way to become the most expensive book ever sold. 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. In 1640, just 20 years after the mayflower landed at plymouth rock, they printed 1700 copies in cambridge, massachusetts. 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.

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. In it one sees the first music printed in the british colonies. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. 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. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new.

Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. As the first book printed on american soil, the 1640 bay psalm book would be a seminal piece for a serious collector of american books. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or 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. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. 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. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. Originally, the colonys residents looked to a committee of. The bay psalm book was the common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. 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.

Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard. The music printing in mexico soon died out, however. Jun 11, 2018 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. 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. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. The psaltery was soon in widespread use on both sides of the atlantic. 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. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the free.

Auction house sothebys has sold a book, believed to be the first printed in what is now the united states, for a record. 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. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. 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. Psalm 98 bay psalm book, 1640, by thomas ravenscroft ca.

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 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. 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. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. 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. 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 in question is one of the 1,700 copies printed in the year 1640 by the pilgrims who had come from england and settled in plymouth, massachusetts. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america.

The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. 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.