Americas hesitation over hymns christian history magazine. 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 the first book printed in north america, north of mexico, was the whole booke of psalmes, edited by richard mather, john eliot and others. Originally published in 1640 as the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. Old south church considers selling first book published in north america video by dominique mosbergen a massachusetts church is considering selling its first edition copy of the first book published in north america, but the debate over the rare book s sale has reportedly divided the historic churchs congregation. Nov 19, 2012 perhaps because it is the first book published in what would become the united states.
It was the first book printed in british north america. Which was the more prevalent method of psalm singing, notated or oral tradition. Published in cambridge, massachusetts in 1640 by stephen daye, the bay psalm book was a collection of holy songs translated from the old testaments hebrew into english. Written by richard mather, john eliot, and thomas weld, it was published in 1640 at cambridge as the whole book of psalms faithfully translated into english metre. 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. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the. Notgrass exploring america english exam units 15 flashcards.
In 1638, the first printing press was imported to the massachusetts bay colony and a group of local religious leadersincluding, it is thought, richard mather, john cotton, and richard eliotset about to create a plain and familiar translation of the psalms and words of david into english metre for use in the colonys church meetings. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The socalled bay psalm book was a project of extraordinary ambition, undertaken by the puritans of. The first edition of the resulting bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, and sothebys will auction one of the 11 surviving copies in the dedicated auction. It is the very first book printed in what is now the united states. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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. The book was published in 1640 in what is now cambridge, massachusetts in a print shop now long gone, located in what is today harvard square. That early publication contained the bible book of psalms, translated from hebrew into the. Old south church considers selling first book published in north america video by dominique mosbergen a massachusetts church is considering selling its first edition copy of the first book published in north america, but the debate over the rare books sale has reportedly divided the historic churchs congregation. Editors of the bay psalm book most cited are john eliot and thomas weld, ministerial colleagues at first church roxbury, and richard mather, minister in dorchester and perhaps 27 other ministers not often mentioned. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america.
After publishing the bay psalm book, elizabeth and daye. John eliot was born in widford, hertfordshire, england and lived at nazeing as a boy. The first book published in the british colonies 1640. The book was sold at the cambridge presss office and at hezekiah ushers bookstore in cambridge, the first bookstore in new england. Book printed in america for the flock of puritans who founded massachusetts bay colony in 1630, a physical break from the church of england wasnt enough. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day. A copy of john james audubons birds of america was the previous record. Bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. The first bible published in the british colonies 1663.
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. This humble and wellworn hymnal was printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye, first printer of the massachusetts bay colony. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. In 1640, stephen daye of cambridge, massachusetts, printed the first book in america, still extant, the new england version of the psalms, commonly called the bay psalm book evans 4. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and. Only 11 copies remain of a text that was once a staple of services in the massachusetts. It presented literal translations of old testament psalms in rhymed meter and was used in nearly every puritan congregation in massachusetts. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. In 1640, the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre was published in cambridge. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. Its widely regarded as the first book published in america. Start studying notgrass exploring america english exam units 15. History of roxbury, massachusetts genealogy trails.
The first piece of literature known to have been written and published in englands american colonies was the bay psalm book. The first book published in what is now the usa was a puritan hymnal called the bay psalm book. 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. The bay psalm book was published in cambridge, mass. 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 the first book printed in america.
Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. Its original edition was printed by stephen daye in the massachusetts bay colony during the year 1640. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. According to the website of the cambridge reformed presbyterian church. It was compiled and prefaced by richard mather 15961669, minister of the church of dorcester, and coauthored with thomas weld and john eliot, the first and. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The new paraphrase was so influential that it was first reprinted in 1647 in england. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. Because the printers were not trained typographers, the book is rife with typos, plagued with spacing errors, and crudely laid out over its 37 sheets. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press. 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.
Americas first book set to be sold amid holy row books. 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. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Massachusetts court required towns to have public schools, and the first printing press had issued this first english book published in north america. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts. The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were a time of great religious turmoil in great britain, as various ideologies struggled for control of the church. Nov 25, 20 translated directly from hebrew into english, the bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, less than twenty years after the mayflower left plymouth, england. Rare books archival collections boston public library.
With it, new england declared its independence from the church of. 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 first book published in english north america, the 1640 bay psalm book was used for worship by the puritans of massachusetts bay, who prohibited any singing in church other than songs drawn from the bible. 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 hence the volumes familiar name. The first book published in colonial america was the bay psalm book. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made in north america, it was also the first book written in north america, north of mexico.
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. Perhaps because it is the first book published in what would become the united states. 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. A new poetical translation of the psalms, intended to express the hebrew original, was made by the leading scholars and. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. The psalms in it are metrical translations 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. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. But after elizabeths death in 1643 and dayes retirement. The church currently holds two copies of a 1640 bay psalm book, the first book published in north america.
May 30, 2007 this humble and wellworn hymnal was printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye, first printer of the massachusetts bay colony. 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. Translated directly from hebrew into english, the bay psalm book was printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in 1640, less than twenty years after the. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. The reverend jose glover put this into action when he resigned his post in surrey, england, and set sail for the massachusetts bay colony in 1638 with his family, possessions, and a printing press operation. Bay psalm book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. 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. After publishing the bay psalm book, elizabeth and daye published a 1641 almanac, a catechism prayer, and a set of massachusetts laws. After hooker was forced to flee to holland, eliot emigrated to boston, massachusetts, arranging passage as chaplain on the ship lyon and arriving on 3. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. The crazy story behind the first book published in the. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity.
The bay psalm book was published in massachusetts in 1640 the first book published in america and ultimately replaced the ainsworth psalter. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. Old south church voted overwhelmingly on sunday to let its trustees sell one of the churchs two copies of the 1640 bay psalm book, the first book published in the british north american. Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in north america for englishspeaking colonists. However, its production, just 20 years after the pilgrims arrival at plymouth, massachusetts, represents a considerable achievement. In 1638, a mere 18 years after the pilgrims landed at plymouth, the john set sail for the massachusetts bay colony with joseph glover. Schoolbook published in massachusetts and used for many years in american schools. Known as the bay psalm book, but really titled the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre, it represents. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre 1640, familiarly called the bay psalm book, was the first book. According to the website of the cambridge reformed presbyterian church the book was published in 1640 in what is now cambridge, massachusetts in a print shop now long gone, located in what is today harvard square.
A group of pious and learned ministers took it on themselves to translate the book of psalms from hebrew and create a text for new world church services that would be free. Originally published in 1640 as the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. Bay psalm book was not only the first book printed in america, and the first book written in america. 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. For decades, this book set the tone for communal devotion. 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.
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