John cotton, the man who wrote the preface to the bay psalm book sought to keep close the original text of scripture. This little book of 1640 was precursor to lexington and concord, and, ultimately, to american political independence. 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. It explicates the puritans reasons for favoring scriptural psalms.
Their efforts yielded the 1640 version that would become the bay psalm book, which was then revised and reprinted nine times in the seventeenth century alone. Bullinger writes in his notes on the psalms, the midrash on ps. 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. To the puritans, the bay psalm book represented a return to the literal words of the original hebrew text. The title page of the bay psalms found within this logos personal book may be used as a book cover. The preface is generally attributed to mather, but some scholars believe it was written by john cotton. The preface to the bay psalm book is a remarkable statement of purpose.
In his preface, cotton defended the puritans version as attending to. 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. 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. These new english puritans thought the ainsworth psalter, collected by. 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 translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The hymn explosion christian history christianity today. The preface to the psalm book warns against mere imitation of ancient poetry, advocating instead that every nation without scruple might follow. Dorenkamp holy cross college the bay psalm book owes much of its prominence to the fact that it was the first book printed in the british colonies of north america. John cotton 15841652, former lecturer at immanuel college in cambridge and convert of puritan, richard sibbes, is widely recognised as the author of the highly significant preface to the bay psalm book. Diana muir appelbaum blog archive the bay psalm book. The preface is possibly by mather, but could be by john cotton.
The books design and production stress the belief that faith must be attended to on a daily basis by each individual. The translations are not particularly polished or poetic, and no. The following is the preface to the bay psalm book. Thursday 926 at bayou bend, first floor of the lora jean kilroy visitor and education center, 6003. Jan 29, 2017 john cotton, the man who wrote the preface to the bay psalm book sought to keep close the original text of scripture.
The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. An introduction by diarmaid macculloch details the books place in american religious and cultural history and explains how the psalter. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, familiarly called the bay psalm book, was the first book. Bay psalm book 109 were successful in shaping the texts aesthetic of purity to fit the cultural conditions of the colonial setting. The bay psalm book preface the singing of psalms breathes out nothing but holy harmony and melody. Nov 25, 20 their efforts yielded the 1640 version that would become the bay psalm book, which was then revised and reprinted nine times in the seventeenth century alone. With it, new england declared its independence from the church of england. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. Note the humble, grateful spirit of this godly forefather for the gift of having gods word to sing, the principle of translation that the publishers followed, and the pilgrim way of the psalms.
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. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader.
Sep 24, 20 the bay psalm book will be on display 10 a. The bay psalm book preface first reformed presbyterian. The preface contrasts the bay psalm books new edition of the psalms with ainsworths tunes bay psalm book. The book is a psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. These new english puritans thought the ainsworth psalter, collected by henry. Replacing the psalter without authorization of king or bishop in new. If therefore the verses are not always so smooth and elegant as some may desire or expect. The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. Translated by richard mather, john eliot, and thomas weld, among others. 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 accomplishment is even more impressive. 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.
The singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. Mar 14, 2020 the bay psalm book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. The bay psalm book was the first book, that is still in existence, printed in british north america.
The psalm book reflects a concern about making worship contemporary, particular to their time and place and special circumstances as pilgrims to a new land. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The psalm book was revised to satisfy the desire for a little more art, in reaction to changing practices of church singing and under the influence of neoclassical and latin poetry. 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. However, its production, just 20 years after the pilgrims arrival at plymouth, massachusetts, represents a considerable achievement. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody.
No new nation was ever created as deliberately or as fast as the nation established between 1630 and 1640 by a wave of settlers who selfconsciously established a new england with a distinctive and highly developed intellectual purpose, carried out by a public school system, a national. Circumstances surrounding this translation of the hebrew psalter into english have been largely obscured by the passing of time. The book became popularly known as the bay psalm book, named after the massachusetts bay colony in which its translatorsamong them the ministers john cotton and richard matherlived. 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. Preface to the bay psalm book reformed presbyterian church. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. The vvhole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. A famous quote from the preface claims that gods altar needs not our pollishings, meaning the previous psalters were too free in their translation of the original hebrew poetry. The first book printed in british north america, commonly known as the bay psalm book. Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard.
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, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. Bay psalm book was not only the first book printed in america, and the first book written in america. Nov 15, 2014 the bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. An essay affixed as a preface to the bay psalm book 1640, almost certainly the work of richard mather one of the translators, explaining the philosophy of translation employed together with reason why literalism is to be preferred over smoothness in metrical psalmody. It was the first book printed in british north america.
Portions of the bay psalm book preface were included in nathanael homess survey of gospel musick london, 1644, and the work of the chief divines of new england was first reprinted in an authorized london edition of 1647. The psaltery was soon in widespread use on both sides of the atlantic. Preface to the bay psalm book 1640 songs of the puritans. 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. 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 1612 ainsworth psalter was the primary psalter used by the puritans and separatists in holland and england, and traveled to the colonies in 1620. The preface to the bay psalm book closes with the words below. A metrical translation of the psalms, published by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. The bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. This is a good example of the puritan notion of exclusive psalmody singing just the psalms. The first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday.
Bay psalm book in metre 1640 logos bible software forums. The bay psalm book has the distinction of being the first book published in british america. The preface to the bay psalm book outlined the philosophy of metrical psalmody. The bay psalm book and the new england primer were, next to the bible, the most. Authors preface in ancient times the psalms were divided into five books, each corresponding to a different book of moses. The translations are not particularly polished, and. The sternhold and hopkins text was frequently appended to editions of the geneva bible and the book of common prayer, a circumstance acknowledged in the preface to the bay psalm book. Ive carefully checked the psalms text against two different scans for accuracy but wont admit to perfection. Zoltan haraszti, the enigma of the bay psalm book, 1956, p. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in. To investigate how they did this, it helps first to place the bay psalm book in its transatlantic context.
Bay psalm preface, page format this book as a bible. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The bay psalm book sets the record for the most expensive english language book ever sold. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at a.
The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to. It was the joint product of richard mather, founder of that distinguished family of new england divines, thomas welde and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at. Thursday 926 at bayou bend, first floor of the lora jean kilroy visitor and education center, 6003 memorial at westcott. 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. 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. Adopting ainsworths book of psalmes would inevitably link the puritans with the separatist pilgrims. John cottons preface is a fascinating document about translation, advocating use of the vernacular and defending modern poetry. Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. An essay affixed as a preface to the bay psalm book 1640, almost certainly the work of richard mather one of the translators, explaining the philosophy of translation employed together with reason why literalism is.