Digital bay psalm book

As an electroniconly publication offered as a downloadable pdf, the digital bay psalm book takes advantage of digital technology to offer. According to the library of congress, the hymnal is considered americas first book. Buy bay psalm book book online at low prices in india bay psalm. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. The library of congress copy of the bay psalm book and david m.

Evans 4 estc rlin w15144 nuc pre1956 nbi 0026282 faults escaped in printing. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. 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. Title from the bay psalm book, a facsim, reprint of the first ed. Digital bay psalm book university of alabama press. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. The same faith that compelled puritans to leave england for the new world, prompted them to commit this text to print before all others. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts. 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.

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. Psalm 4 oxford tune 1 a not call, turn part sin, jus men lord up, tice, my hath but when glor set do dis will cious ious of my sons or know the stir red to for con. The whole booke of psalmes universally known as the bay psalm book was produced in the virtual wilderness of massachusetts bay colony by the congregationalist puritans who left england in search of religious freedom. Nov 27, 20 the copy of the bay psalm book from 1640 that went on the auction block is one of just 11 known copies of the religious volume, said the rev. Digital bay psalm book intro free download as pdf file.

Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free. It was the first book printed in british north america. About 7 inches high and 4 inches wide, it is largely undecorated. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. The whole booke of psalmes, also known as the bay psalm book, is the oldest surviving book printed in what became the united states. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book was printed under trying circumstances. The translations are not particularly polished, and none has remained in use, although some of. 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. There are only 11 copies of the book remaining in existence. Bay psalm book the whole booke of psalmes first edition. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and.

Nov 25, 20 the book, on display at sothebys manhattan headquarters, opened to psalm 23, is physically unimposing. He studied at oxford, began preaching, and was ordained in 1620. 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. Publication date 1903 topics bible, psalters, hymns, english publisher new york. Originally published in 1640 as the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. The copy of the bay psalm book used to create the pdf additional files and the flipping book the read onlinebutton is one of 11 copies of the first edition known to exist and one of only four perfect copies. The centennial librarys copy of the bay psalm book is a facsimile of the first edition, the earliest printed english work in colonial america. The book was printed by puritan settlers in cambridge, mass. Nov 27, 20 the translation of the biblical psalms, the bay psalm book, is seen at sothebys in new york. In 20, copies of the the bay psalm book are everywhere the library of congress, the world digital library, even the old south church.

Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. Bay psalm 23, the first work in the bay psalms set, is a delicate reflection on one of the most beloved psalms of all time coupled with a repeating mantra of the word alleluia. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Zoltan haraszti, the enigma of the bay psalm book, 1956, p. As an electroniconly publication offered as a downloadable pdf, the digital bay psalm book takes advantage of digital technology to offer meticulously rendered. May 19, 2016 the copy of the bay psalm book used to create the pdf additional files and the flipping book the read onlinebutton is one of 11 copies of the first edition known to exist and one of only four perfect copies. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta.

Jul 29, 2004 the bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. Billionaire david rubenstein buys colonial bay psalm book. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge. An introduction by diarmaid macculloch details the books place in american religious and cultural history and explains how the psalter came to have such a profound effect on the course of the protestant. Also available in digital form on the library of congress web site. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made. Kevin cattrell is a doctoral candidate in the department of english at rutgers university whose areas of research include early american literature, translation, and historical poetics, and whose dissertation is on colonial new england psalm culture. Digital bay psalm book intro books library and museum. Prepared for the new england society in the city of new york. His puritan beliefs led him into difficulties, and he fled to massachusetts 1635, where he. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. 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 first book printed in british north america, commonly known as the bay psalm book. A work written specifically for boys voices by featuring an extended alto range, bay psalm 23 offers cascading melodic lines and comforting harmonies that will delight audiences and performers alike.

Nov 22, 20 the bay psalm book, on the other hand, could be described as humble, even homely. It is a complete translation of the psalms in english meter, produced by the puritans on their own press only 10 years after their arrival in america and only 20 years after the arrival of the pilgrims in 1620. A work written specifically for boys voices by featuring an extended alto range, bay psalm 23 offers cascading melodic lines and comforting harmonies that. 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. It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. This bay psalm book is a facsimile of the first edition, the earliest printed english work in colonial america. Title page of the copy of the bay psalm book held by the beinecke rare book and manuscript library a page of the bay psalm book in the houghton library.

It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. Billionaire david rubenstein buys colonial bay psalm book for. Not until its ninth edition, printed in 1698, were any tunes printed in the bay psalm book. The reverend jose glover, who sailed to massachusetts in 1638 in order to establish the first press in the fledgling colony, died during the transatlantic passage. 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. Join david redden director, special projects, and s. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in plymouth in 1620, the magnitude of the effort and. This beautiful facsimile edition of the bay psalm book reproduces one of the best remaining copies of the psalter, including the translators preface and the original printers errors and binding marks. The preface is possibly by mather, but could be by john cotton. Bay psalm book, and americas first printing press boston. Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Nancy taylor, senior minister and ceo of bostons old. Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the. 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 the first book printed in north america, north of mexico, was the whole booke of psalmes, edited by richard mather, john eliot and others. Rubensteins copy, on loan to the library for this exhibition, were at originally part of the. The printer, a trained locksmith who arrived with the press, had his idiosyncrasies, including spelling psalm two different ways. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. Translated by richard mather, john eliot, and thomas weld, among others. Publication date 1985 topics rare books publisher new york. The bay psalm book by michael inman, curator, rare book division, stephen a. 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. Nov 06, 2017 better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that it was the first book printed in british north america. 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. Printed in a dimly lit shop on what is now holyoke street crooked lane then, the run of 1,700 copies was marred by blurred type, missing words, inventive spellings, and typographical errors. The federalist papers the people who mean to be their.

Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. It was the first book printed in english in the americas and is considered one of the most historic volumes in american religious history. In that edition, thirteen tunes were added to which the. Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the free. 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. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b. In fact, almost every single book, pamphlet, and broadside published in colonial america is available for free online or at a participating library through readexs early. Bay psalm book traces nations seesaw religious history. Jul 23, 2015 the bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america.

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. 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 type of the bay psalm book, unlike the paper, was of english manufacture. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Feb 05, 2016 the first edition of the bay psalm book was printed in cambridge in 1640. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new. The book is in its original binding, with the title page signed by mather.

Bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. Bay psalm book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. It is the first book known to be published in america. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. The digital bay psalm book gives scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts alike a rich and intimate experience of the book as it was known by its earliest readers. In fact, almost every single book, pamphlet, and broadside published in colonial america is available for free online or at a participating library through readexs early american imprints series. Bay psalm book from the american imprint collection.