Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. Until this version of the bay psalm book surfaced, it was not known. Join david redden director, special projects, and s.
Five of the surviving copies of the whole booke of psalmes, also known as the bay psalm book, come from a collection begun by thomas prince. 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 bay psalm book is a simple thing, containing psalms translated from hebrew into english in massachusetts. John rodgers, of the first presbyterian church of new york, suggestion to general george washington to give a copy of the aitkens bible to every discharged soldier. 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. The bay psalm book murder by will harriss goodreads.
The first edition of the resulting bay psalm book was printed in cambridge. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. These new english puritans thought the ainsworth psalter, collected by. The bay psalm book, which was auctioned tuesday at sothebys in new york city, set an auction record for a printed book, according to the. This little book of 1640 was precursor to lexington and concord.
The crazy story behind the first book published in the. For me a table thou hast spread in presence of my foes. Experts have confirmed that it is the first ever bound book published and printed in america. The bay psalm book, cambridge, printed for hezekiah usher of. Printed in 1640, the bay psalm book is considered to be the first book printed in what became the united states. 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. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. When a librarian is found dead with a rare volume in his h. 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. The book of job is an example even if you do good, suffering can happen. 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.
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, common hymnal 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. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some.
The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at a. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b explanation of bay psalme book. But after elizabeths death in 1643 and dayes retirement. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Sep 27, 20 that would break records and make it the worlds most expensive printed book. 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. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in 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. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. A copy of the bay psalm book is pictured at sothebys auction house in new york, november 21, 20. 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. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Among other highlights, it includes the bay psalm book opens a new window 1640, and john eliots indian bible opens a new window 1663, with many other editions representative of both the varied outputs of the early cambridge and boston presses, and of the intellectual life of colonial new england. 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 singing of psalmes, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america.
The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. John cotton, the man who wrote the preface to the bay psalm book sought to keep close the original text of scripture. At the 2016 national day of prayer for defence event in canberra, psalm 91 was read and referred to as the soldier s psalm. Psalms were set to the meter of familiar tunes so the faithful could make a joyful noise, singing, for example, in the 23rd psalm. The book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. Bay psalm book sold december 4, 20 rns1nov20 for the first time since 1947, and only the second time since the nineteenth century, a copy of the first book printed in america will be sold at auction. 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 library of congress copy of the bay psalm book and david m. No example of the bay psalm book has appeared at auction since. The congregationalist puritans who emigrated to massachusetts bay in search of religious freedom quickly set about to translate and produce a version of the book of psalms that was a closer paraphrase of. 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 bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. The aitken edition of the bible turned into a financial loss, despite dr. The main thing you need to know right now about the bay psalm book is that a copy of it is up for public sale for the first time since 1947. Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the free. 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. A2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing thomas princes annotations of variant readings from the 1647 reprint edition. The bay psalm book, which is the first book printed in what is now the united states, comes from the old south church in boston, one of two copies of the book in its collection. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance. Irrespective of what we are, we all have to undergo the vicissitudes of life. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. The bay psalm book 1640 the new england primer 1683. Each psalm shows that human troubles and sufferings have always been there.
Assembly to unite and establish a defensive voluntary military force to protect. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book written. Apparently the writers of the scottish psalter of 1650 knew the bay psalm book. 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. Church torn over future of precious asset the boston globe. 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 result was an american originalthe bay psalm book of 1640a 148page volume printed on a press operated by the british settler stephen daye. Members of old south church, which owns two of the 11 surviving first editions of the bay psalm book, will vote sunday on a controversial proposal to sell one of the 17th century books to pay for. The first book printed in british north america, 1640. Americas hesitation over hymns christian history magazine. The bay psalm book and the new england primer were, next to the bible, the most commonly owned books in seventeenthcentury new england.
The communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. I was interested in this and looked up the reference. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. It was the first book printed in british north america. Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Rare books archival collections boston public library. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. 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. 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 london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. 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. 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 bay psalm book, formally titled the whole book of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, was the first book printed on angloamerican soil. Written by richard mather, john eliot, and thomas weld, it was published in 1640 at cambridge as the. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b. Aug 19, 2016 as a result, the aitken bible is often referred to as the bible of the revolution.
Bay psalm book was not only the first book printed in america, and the first book written in america. The first book ever printed in what became the usa is now the worlds most expensive printed book. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made in north america, it was also the first. Copies reached both england and scotland and saw some use there. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america.
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