Stephen daye bay psalm book

The bay psalm book has the distinction of being the first book published in british america. The next year, 1641, daye was rewarded for his work with three hundred acres of land. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640. The bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640. Ephemeral printing is generally believed to have begun in early 1639. That early publication contained the bible book of psalms, translated from hebrew into the. He printed the bay psalm book in 1641 the first book printed in the american colonies. Stephen daye, who was indentured as a locksmith, to operate the press at massachusetts bay.

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. From it was issued the freemans oath, a broadside published in 1639. 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 whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. Some of the psalms and the music can be viewed and heard. It is the first book printed in what is now the united states. The bay psalm book was the first book known to be printed in british north america. Daye, stephen dnb00 wikisource, the free online library. A metrical translation of the psalms, published by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. There is no proof in support of the assertion that he was descended from the printer john day q. Stephen daye was not a printer, but a locksmith, whereas his son, matthew daye, was a trained printer. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre daye, stephen on. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english.

This humble and wellworn hymnal was printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye, first printer of the massachusetts bay colony. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. It is interesting to note that some two hundred years later a new york publisher, publishing under the name stephen daye, inc. Provenance through bookplates or book labels rare books. The book is a psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. 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. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge.

He came to massachusetts bay with his family in 1638 under contract to the rev. Stephen day, founder of the first printing press in englands north american colonies. The translations are not particularly polished or poetic, and no. The bay psalm book was both ambitious and crude a formidable achievement under the worst conditions. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. England version of the psalms, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, massachusetts, in. Provenance through bookplates or book labels rare books digest. Finished in 1639, it is generally believed that the first item printed was the freemans oath, a type of newspaper. Bay psalm book stephen daye the bay psalm book bound volume, 1640 expand images. Its original edition was printed by stephen daye in the massachusetts bay colony during the year 1640. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts.

But it is as a book and not as a text, that the bay psalm book is best known, celebrated, and revered. Joseph glover, rector of sutton, surrey, who had interested himself in the young settlement of massachusetts, procured a printingpress and. Harvards first impressions houghton library houses a selection of old books, almanacs, and broadsides from harvards first printing press 16381692. It was followed by an almanac and by the bay psalm book 1640, the first book printed in the colonies. Ones for the books the bay psalm book, the first book to be printed in america, has sold at a. The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. 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. In 1640, he printed the bay psalm book, the first book published in the american colonies.

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. The first piece of literature known to have been written and published in englands american colonies was the bay psalm book. Because the bay psalm book published a new translation of the psalms made. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Its production, just 20 years after the pilgrims arrival at plymouth, 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. The first book published in what is now the usa was a puritan hymnal called the bay psalm book. Published 1903 by prepared for the new england society in the city of new york in new york. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. 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. Stephen daye, 1640, title page of the whole book of psalms. But after elizabeths death in 1643 and dayes retirement. By then, the press had already issued a broadside, the freemans oath, an 8page almanac for 1639, and the famous bay psalm book.

Daye, stephen article about daye, stephen by the free. Daye apparently supervised its establishment and it became the cambridge press, the first printing plant in the 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. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre ebook written by stephen daye. The press, set up in cambridge, massachusetts, belonged to the widow of rev. 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 the first book printed in british north america. Matthew may have done the actual printing for the company. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the new world. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the bay psalm book. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge.

The book went through several editions and remained in use for well over a century. 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. It was probably preceded by a small singlesheet production known as the oath of a freeman, of which no copy is extant. Being a fac simile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye, at cambridge in new england, in 1640. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. 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. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. The bay psalm book, printed in cambridge, massachusetts, by stephen daye in 1640, was the first book printed by the newly established cambridge press. Rarest american book at auction fine books and collections. Glover, daye and their families set sail for the colonies aboard the ship john of london in 1638. Being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in 1640 classic reprint wilberforce eames on.

It was followed by an almanac and by the bay psalm book bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. 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. Glover died on the journey to the new world, but daye still built the press for glovers widow. The bay psalm book was the first book, that is still in existence, printed in british north america. Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. Consequently, daye must have printed pierces almanac prior to the english first of the year that began on march 15. Because the printers were not trained typographers, the book is rife with. 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. Jose glover, who had died on the journey to the colonies from england. And these all had as their progenitor stephen days imperfect, yet somehow irreproachable, printing of the bay psalm book.

The book was printed in 1640 by stephen daye, a locksmith in cambridge, massachusetts. 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. 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. Glover died during the voyage, but daye and the printing press landed in september. After publishing the bay psalm book, elizabeth and daye published a 1641 almanac, a catechism prayer, and a set of massachusetts laws. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. 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. 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. 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. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the bay psalm book. 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.

This book is a facsimile reprint of the first edition printed in 1640 by stephen daye at cambridge, mass. The work of translation was begun in 1636, the principal collaborators being thomas welde, richard mather, and john eliot, the missionary to. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. The crazy story behind the first book published in the. 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. Stephen daye, 1640, title page of the whole book of. Click each image to view a larger copy of the bay psalm book. 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. 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. 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. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book.