Stephen daye bay psalm book

The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. It was the first book printed in british north america. The next year, 1641, daye was rewarded for his work with three hundred acres of land. The bay psalm book was the first book known to be printed in british north america. Because the 1640 whole booke of psalmes is so rare, and since most copies have been and now all are held by institutions, the sale history of the book is understandably brief. The bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640. The book went through several editions and remained in use for well over a century. He came to massachusetts bay with his family in 1638 under contract to the rev. The first book published in what is now the usa was a puritan hymnal called the bay psalm book.

Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard. Consequently, daye must have printed pierces almanac prior to the english first of the year that began on march 15. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. Joseph glover, rector of sutton, surrey, who had interested himself in the young settlement of massachusetts, procured a printingpress and. And while the faithful translation into english meter of the whole booke of psalmes could be accomplished with men and materials already in massachusetts bay colony, its printing required the importation of both the reverend jose glover was a puritan from a wealthy family of london merchants. There is no proof in support of the assertion that he was descended from the printer john day q. Glover died on the journey to the new world, but daye still built the press for glovers widow. It was followed by an almanac and by the bay psalm book bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. It was printed by stephen daye at cambridge in 1640, was.

Better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that it was the. Stephen daye, 1640, title page of the whole book of. But after elizabeths death in 1643 and dayes retirement. Daye apparently supervised its establishment and it became the cambridge press, the first printing plant in the colonies. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. He printed the bay psalm book in 1641 the first book printed in the american colonies. It was probably preceded by a small singlesheet production known as the oath of a freeman, of which no copy is extant. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book has the distinction of being the first book published in british america. Provenance through bookplates or book labels rare books digest.

The first piece of literature known to have been written and published in englands american colonies was the bay psalm book. Supervised by richard mather, thomas weld and john eliot. Because the printers were not trained typographers, the book is rife with. 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. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge. Stephen day, founder of the first printing press in englands north american colonies. 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.

Jun 17, 2014 stephen daye, 1640, title page of the whole book of psalms also known as the bay psalm book, the first book printed in british north america. Nov 01, 20 the book was produced in the year 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts by congregationalist puritan, locksmith stephen daye, and while it does not have the printers name on the title page, daye is nevertheless credited as the first printer of the first book printed in the english colonies of america. Click each image to view a larger copy of the bay psalm book. Englishamerican locksmith and printer credited with printing the first product of a north american printing press, the freemans oath 1639, a broadside of which no known copy exists. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. The bay psalm book is in a lot better shape than the paperback you bought 10 years ago, said rare books expert hope mayo, the houghton librarys hofer curator of printing and. Published 1903 by prepared for the new england society in the city of new york in new york. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america.

The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to. Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. Sep 04, 2017 after publishing the bay psalm book, elizabeth and daye published a 1641 almanac, a catechism prayer, and a set of massachusetts laws. Glover died during the voyage, but daye and the printing press landed in september. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made. 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. Harvards first impressions houghton library houses a selection of old books, almanacs, and broadsides from harvards first printing press 16381692. 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.

One of the greatest artifacts of american history, the whole booke of psalmes, commonly known as the bay psalm book, will be auctioned at 7pm on the 26th day of this month at sothebys in new york. The press, set up in cambridge, massachusetts, belonged to the widow of rev. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book was the first book, that is still in existence, printed in british north america. The translations are not particularly polished or poetic, and no. The 6by5inch hymnal books estimated value was raised by 10 million dollars since the end of last year when we first ran a feature on the sale. It is interesting to note that some two hundred years later a new york publisher, publishing under the name stephen daye, inc. Stephen daye, 1640, title page of the whole book of psalms. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. The crazy story behind the first book published in the. 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. Finished in 1639, it is generally believed that the first item printed was the freemans oath, a type of newspaper.

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. Ones for the books the bay psalm book, the first book to be printed in america, has sold at a. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre daye, stephen on. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre ebook written by stephen daye. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the bay psalm book. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english.

The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. The book is a psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Its original edition was printed by stephen daye in the massachusetts bay colony during the year 1640. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. New york, 12 april 20 on 26 november 20, sothebys new york will auction one of the finest surviving copies of the bay psalm book the first book printed in what is now the united states of america. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. Matthew may have done the actual printing for the company. 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. But it is as a book and not as a text, that the bay psalm book is best known, celebrated, and revered. Being a fac simile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye, at cambridge in new england, in 1640. This humble and wellworn hymnal was printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye, first printer of the massachusetts bay colony. Stephen daye was not a printer, but a locksmith, whereas his son, matthew daye, was a trained printer. It is the first book printed in what is now the united states. Even though from the middle of the century, the exlibris proper became quite popular, the earliest known american example of a bookplate, is the plain printed label of stephen daye, the massachusetts printer of the bay psalm book, 1642.

The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Daye, stephen dnb00 wikisource, the free online library. Jose glover, who had died on the journey to the colonies from england. The bay psalm book was both ambitious and crude a formidable achievement under the worst conditions. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640.

Rarest american book at auction fine books and collections. Ephemeral printing is generally believed to have begun in early 1639. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. 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. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Provenance through bookplates or book labels rare books.

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 the first book printed in america is. It was followed by an almanac and by the bay psalm book 1640, the first book printed in the colonies. Bay psalm book stephen daye the bay psalm book bound volume, 1640 expand images. In 1640, he printed the bay psalm book, the first book published in the american colonies. 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 book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge. Daye was entrusted with the working of the press from which he and his son matthew produced 1,700 copies only 11 survived of the first book printed in the colonies, the whole booke of psalmes, commonly known as the bay psalm book, in 1640. That early publication contained the bible book of psalms, translated from hebrew into the.

And these all had as their progenitor stephen days imperfect, yet somehow irreproachable, printing of the bay psalm 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. Glover, daye and their families set sail for the colonies aboard the ship john of london in 1638. From it was issued the freemans oath, a broadside published in 1639. Stephen daye, who was indentured as a locksmith, to operate the press at massachusetts bay. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640 classic reprint wilberforce eames on.

Stephen day merits gratitude and commendation, and he deserves the encomium that walt whitman offered more than two centuries later to others, who like day, left the past behind to seize a newer, mightier world, varied. This book is a facsimile reprint of the first edition printed in 1640 by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. England version of the psalms, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, massachusetts, in. A metrical translation of the psalms, published by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the bay psalm book.