As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. The bay psalm book 1 the lord to me a shepherd is, want therefore i shall not, he in the folds of tender grass doth make me down to lie to waters calm he gently leads restore my soul doth he he doth in paths of righteousness for his names sake lead me. The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. Congregations across the massachusetts bay colony were soon singing. The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church. Selby kiffer, international senior specialist in sothebys asserted that the bay psalm book is not merely a book but has acquired the status of one of the greatest artifacts of american history.
I ordered an extra large size so that well be able to reuse it in the future. 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. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The library of congress copy of the bay psalm book and david m. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance. The communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands. The rare bay psalm book is the first book ever written and printed in what is now the united states. The bay psalm book had been compiled by a group of new england divines and was employed in nearly every puritan church of the massachusetts bay colony. Preface to the bay psalm book 1640 songs of the puritans. An oratorio is performed without scenery, costumes, or stage movement. The singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. This exhibit explores the early history of our nation through a remarkable selection of maps, texts, and other historical documents from the rubenstein librarys collections and the private map collection of michael stone, t84.
Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta. Jean ferguson carr classroom issues and strategies. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. Colonists in new england participated in congregational hymn singing. Until this version of the bay psalm book surfaced, it was not known. The first singinginstruction book would not be written for fourteen more years. Which vocal form took its name from the italian word for place of prayer. The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme. Rubensteins copy, on loan to the library for this exhibition, were at originally part of the historic old south church library in boston. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b. The new ebay the official guide to buying, selling, running a profitable busine.
Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at a. Nov 25, 20 the first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. Dec 03, 2012 the bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein.
Bay psalm book offers valuable insight into how colonial divines shaped the ideal of. The puritan divines of the massachusetts bay colony set out to produce a translation from the hebrew that was reflective. He studied at oxford, began preaching, and was ordained in 1620. Church torn over future of precious asset the boston globe. Those seeking further information about the bay psalm book, its subsequent editions and various copies, would be well advised to consult eames 1885 bibliography a list of editions of the bay psalm book or new england version of the psalms. The singing of psalmes, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody.
Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. This years actress is a mediumbuild size 14 and it fits her perfectly. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. 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.
Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. The bay psalm book was a new translation of the book of psalms by a group of prominent puritan ministers. 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. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published.
Psalm 23 bay psalm book, 1698, by john playford 1623. 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 1640 the new england primer 1683. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. 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. A list of editions of the bay psalm book compiled by wilberforce eames, 1885.
Together, they served to disseminate puritan values for over a hundred years. The practice of liningout allowed everyone to learn the melody of a psalm, which was helpful for communities that couldnt afford to purchase psalm books for every church member. Bay psalm book, common hymnal 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. The bay psalm book and the new england primer were, next to the bible, the most commonly owned books in seventeenthcentury new england. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. This note examines the use of hebrew type in two of the extant eleven copies of the original edition of the book. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. 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 decision to print a book of psalms metered for singing may seem an odd choice as the first book to be printed by the settlers of massachusetts bay, but this modest book served the larger purpose of the colonyto live within the reformed church. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. Yea though in valley of deaths shade i walk none ill ill fear. 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.
Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. The use of hebrew in the bay psalm book the book commonly known as the bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. In recent years, a new generation of scholars has returned to the book, seeing it from fresh perspectivesas a social document, for example, and as a physical artifact of early american life in the massachusetts bay area. The bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america.
Experts have confirmed that it is the first ever bound book published and printed in america. 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. Get the best deals on religious costumes when you shop the largest online selection at ebay. 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. The bay psalm book is a book of many firststhe first englishlanguage book in north america, the first book of american poetry, and the first instance in a long and vital history of printing in america. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. Dec 01, 2003 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 book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. Bay psalm book, the article about bay psalm book, the by. 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. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Americas hesitation over hymns christian history magazine. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in north.
The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. 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. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book.
The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. Of particular note is an extremely rare copy of americas first book, the whole booke of psalmes 1640, commonly known as the bay psalm book. Seventeen hundred copies were printed in 1640 by stephen daye in massachusetts. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. In england in 1707, isaac watts published his classic collection of hymns and spiritual songs. In the new england colonies in 1707, no church organ had yet been installed. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at. This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. The digital bay psalm book gives scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts alike a rich and intimate experience of the book. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free.
Readers may assume that both of these texts are simply functional transmissions of doctrine and discipline, representing a narrow and dogmatic religious culture of merely antiquarian interest. The bay psalm book was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony. 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. It was the first book printed in british north america. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god. Copies reached both england and scotland and saw some use there. 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. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. In spite of the sometimes crude poetry, the bay psalm book achieved considerable recognition in its time, a recognition that went well outside of new england, and even the colonies. 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 a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Rubenstein said, i appreciate the hard work of jim billington and the library of congress professionals in organizing this exhibition. These two copies of the text are together for the first time since they were separated long ago. Thats a wrap the bay psalm book, the first book ever printed in british america, and the first book ever written in america. It was the first book printed in english in the americas and is considered one of the most historic volumes in american religious history. The founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. The costume is exactly whats shown in the photo and arrived packaged in excellent condition. The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme rarity, but also as a symbol of a future nations identity. The two psalters most widely used were the bay psalm book 1640 and sternhold and hopkinss whole book of psalms the old version, 1562. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. American beginnings, featuring the bay psalm book duke. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. A2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing thomas princes annotations of variant readings from the 1647 reprint edition.
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