Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. Music had been printed in the new world as early as the 1540s in mexican service books, nearly a. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. Glover had purchased for day on crooked lane, now 15 holyoke street. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. It was published in cambridge, massachusetts, by the puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. Thats a wrap the bay psalm book, the first book ever printed in british america, and the first book ever written in america. Yea though in valley of deaths shade i walk none ill ill fear. Even so, this astronomical figure is below expectations. Consequently, daye must have printed pierces almanac prior to the english first of the year that began on march 15. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at. 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.
Nov 12, 2012 at the 300th anniversary of our congregation i was asked to put together some of the music that would have been sung at that time in boston area churches. In 1640, just 20 years after the mayflower landed at plymouth rock, they printed 1700 copies in cambridge. The bay psalm book is the first known book to be printed in what is now the united states. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. Bay psalm book, the article about bay psalm book, the by.
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. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. The bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed into metrical rhyme for congregational singing. 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 bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. Seventeen hundred copies were printed in 1640 by stephen daye in massachusetts.
Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. In it one sees the first music printed in the british colonies. 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. 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. The bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. In 1698, the boston printers bartholomew green and john allen brought out a ninth edition of the bay psalm book. Massachusetts bay, stephen daye printed the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre, known as the bay psalm book, the first book. England version of the psalms, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, massachusetts, in. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts. The type of the bay psalm book, unlike the paper, was of english manufacture.
Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made. Krummel in 1698, the boston printers bartholomew green and john allen brought out a ninth edition of the bay psalm book. Two centuries later, american printer isaiah thomas would remark that the bay. The book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. 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. Better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that it was the. The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein.
The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. 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. It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first. In 1640, he printed the bay psalm book, the first book published in the american colonies. 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. 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. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free. Dec 04, 20 a list of editions of the bay psalm book compiled by wilberforce eames, 1885.
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. 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. A printing house was begun at cambridge by one daye, at the charge of mr. 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 americathe bay psalm book. The psaltery was soon in widespread use on both sides of the atlantic. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book.
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 witch book, which was later owned by descendants of one of the people hanged after the trials, is a previously unknown seventh edition of the bay psalm book, dating to the late 1600s. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The next year, 1641, daye was rewarded for his work with three hundred acres of land. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book written. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts.
Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. 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 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 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 whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. A list of editions of the bay psalm book compiled by wilberforce eames, 1885. Publication date 1903 topics bible, psalters, hymns, english publisher new york. Prepared for the new england society in the city of new york. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. The bay psalm book was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. In 1640, less than two years after landing in massachusetts bay, daye and his son matthew printed the whole booke of psalmes. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics.
The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme. 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. But these were later developments, outlined here only to show the forces which produced and sustained the bay psalm book. As such, puritans developed the practice of lining out the psalmhaving a deacon or clerk read each line of text before it was sung. Under the first day of 1639 governor winthrop entered in his journal. 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. 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 bay psalm book was the last copy remaining. Stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in. Less than a month prior to the sale of the bay psalm book, sothebys london sold a. Ones for the books the bay psalm book, the first book to be printed in america, has sold at a. In keeping with tradition, there is a cantor who sings a small portion of the psalm which is then repeated by the congregation a practice born out of necessity as there would otherwise not have been enough. Better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that it. The celebration of this book is the impetus for the librarys exhibition. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta. Preface to the bay psalm book 1640 songs of the puritans. Trending 17 dead, including one rcmp officer, after shooting spree in portapique, n. Aug 17, 2016 the founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and.
The first printing was the third product of the stephen day sometimes spelled daye press, and consisted of a 148 small quarto leaves, including a 12page. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition wilberforce eames snippet view 1912. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. At the time this was also the highest price paid anywhere for a. Published 1903 by prepared for the new england society in the city of new york in new york. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. At the 300th anniversary of our congregation i was asked to put together some of the music that would have been sung at that time in boston area churches. This note examines the use of hebrew type in two of the extant eleven copies of the original edition of the book. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Recently, the new york public library digitized in its entirety one of its great treasures, the 1640 printing of the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. Hebrew characters are present in the preface 3 r o. The first known example in what is now the united states was a simple printed label created by stephen daye, the massachusetts bay colony printer of the 1642 bay psalm book.
The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Stephen daye, who was a locksmith by trade and, by most accounts. 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. It was the first book printed in british north america. 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.
Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. The history blog blog archive bay psalm book sells for. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. To the chief musician, a psalm of david 1 the heavens do declare the majesty of god. The book commonly known as 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. Not only is the text in the public domain, the book can be viewed in pdf form. A somewhat cryptic memorandum of uncertain date but evidently. 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. Nov 27, 20 the bay psalm book is the first known book to be printed in what is now the united states. The founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal.
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