[Scottish National Memorials Contents]
‘THE CL. / PSALMES OF / DAVID / in Prose and Meeter; / with their whole vsuall Notes and Tunes. / Newly corrected and amended. / Edinburgh. / Printed by Andro Hart. 1621 /’ 12mo.
The metrical version is Sternhold’s; the prose the Genevan.
The earliest edition of the Psalms printed for the Church of Scotland was that of Robert Lekpreuik, 1564, 8vo. Dr. Lee says that all the editions of the Psalms printed for the use of the Church before 1640, with the exception of King James’s, were in general taken from the version of Thomas Sternhold and other English authors; not above one-tenth having been versified by divines of the Church of Scotland. The first edition of the present authorised metrical version was published at Edinburgh in 16580, 8vo. It was substantially that of Francis Rous, an English Independent, the first edition of which appeared in 1641.
The first edition of Andro Hart’s Psalm Book was published in 1611, another appeared in 1614, and a third in 1615. The above is therefore of the fourth edition at least. It is the last printed by Hart, for he died in this year, 1621.
In this year he likewise published (1) The Gude and Godly Ballattes; (2) Seven Sobs of a Sorrowful Soule for Sinne; and (3) annexed to the last, A Handful of Honisuckles and The Poor Widowes Mite.
(683) Lent by J. B. GREENSHIELDS.
‘THE CL / PSALMES OF DAVID, / In Prose and Meeter: / with their whole usuall Tunes / newly corrected and amended. / EDINBURGH. Printed by the Heiris of Andrew Hart, 1634.’ 18mo.
On the title-page, print of King David playing the harp.
The metrical version is Sternhold’s; the prose is the Genevan.
The ‘heiris of Andrew Hart’ had printed an edition of the Psalm Book in 1632. The separate Psalm Books of Hart and his heirs, from 1611 to 1636 at least, are, says Dr. Lee, as well known as any book that ever was printed in Scotland.
(686) Lent by ROBERT GLEN.
‘THE PSALMES OF DAVID / in Prose and Meeter, / with their whole Tunes in four or mo parts, / and / some Psalms in Reports. Wherunto is added many godly Prayers, and / an exact Kalendar for XXV yeeres to come / Printed at Edinburgh by the / Heires of Andrew Hart, / Anno Dom. 1635 /’ 8vo.
On title-page, print of King David playing the harp. Prose Psalms, Geneva translation. From the Coultermains Collection.
(685) Lent by J. B. GREENSHIELDS.
Plate XXIV. – Chained Bible Belonging to the Cathedral of Glasgow.
‘THE PSALMES OF DAVID, / In Prose And Metre / with the whole Forme of Discipline, and / Prayers according to the Church / of Scotland. / The Psalmes in Prose being of the last Trans / lation: translated by the speciall comman / dement of KING JAMES the Sixt, 1610 / I Corinth, iii. xj. / Other Foundation can no man lay, than is layde / alreadie: which is, IESVS CHRIST. / Aberdeene. / Printed by Edward Raban, 1633. For David Melvill. /’ 12mo.
The metrical version is Sternhold’s, the prose is from the Authorised Version of the Bible. According to Dr. Lee, there were two distinct editions of this volume printed by Raban in this year. Previous editions by the same printer had appeared at Aberdeen – 24mo, 1625; 16mo. 1629; 18mo, 1632.
In 1621 a patent was obtained from King James by the Bishop and Provost of Aberdeen, for establishing printing in that city: and shortly afterwards Raban was appointed printer to the town and university. He carried on the business until his death in 1649, when he was succeeded by James Brown, son of William Brown, minister of Invernochty. Raban produced some very good work.
(684) Lent by J. B. GREENSHIELDS.
‘THE / PSALMS / OF / DAVID / in / metre. / According to the Version approved by the / Church of Scotland. / And appointed to be used in Worship. / London: / Printed for David Goodsman, behind the / New-church in the Strand. / MDCCLXXIV. /’ 12mo. Pp. 318.
Red morocco, tooled gilt. Exhibited as a pretty specimen of contemporary Scottish binding.
Lent by DAVID MURRAY, LL.D.
