Cotton, John, 1584-1652. Day, Matthew, -1649, printer. Day, Stephen, 1594?-1668, printer. Eliot, John, 1604-1690. Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Van Sinderen, Adrian, 1887-1963, former owner. DLC Weld, Thomas, 1590?-1662. American Imprint Collection (Library of Congress) DLC text [Cambridge, Mass.] : Imprinted [by S. Daye, 1640] eng The Bay Psalm Book, as this work is commonly known, is 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. A London printer, Stephen Daye, came with the press and established a printing office in Cambridge. The following year, the residents of the colony asked John Eliot, Thomas Welde, and Richard Mather to undertake a new translation from the Hebrew of the Book of Psalms, for use in the colony's churches. Mather was the principal author and translator, but was assisted by about 30 other New England ministers. The book was printed in 1640. Reissued in successive editions, it remained in use for more than 100 years. This copy, from the Library of Congress, is one of 11 copies of the first edition known to exist. The copy is imperfect; 19 leaves, including the title page, are missing. The original calf binding, with traces of two clasps, is present. The Library of Congress Bay Psalm Book was the last copy remaining in private hands, and it was given to the Library of Congress in May 1966 by Mrs. Adrian Van Sinderen of Washington, Connecticut. "Faults escaped in printing."--p. [295]. LC copy accompanied by envelope containing related clippings, photocopies, and notes related to LC's copy, ca. 35 items. LC copy imperfect: t.p. and 18 leaves wanting. Printed at the press in Cambridge, Mass., supervised by Stephen Day (variously Daye). Day's son Matthew may have been responsible for the actual printing. Cf. ESTC. The first book printed in British North America, commonly known as the Bay Psalm book. Translated by Richard Mather, John Eliot, and Thomas Weld, among others. The preface is possibly by Mather, but could be by John Cotton. Cf. Zoltan Haraszti, The enigma of the Bay Psalm book, 1956, p. 12-27. Title from the Bay Psalm book, a facsim, reprint of the first ed. of 1640 [Chicago, 1956]. ESTC (RLIN) Evans NUC pre-1956 LC copy is the Van Sinderen copy, described in the Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress, v. 24, 1967, p. 186-[187], 204-205; see also Zoltán Haraszti, The enigma of the Bay Psalm book [Chicago, 1956] chapter X. Conserved; Bible. Psalms--Paraphrases, English. Music in churches. Psalmody. United States Cambridge. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/americanimprint.02405