Translations of the Psalms were a major feature of early modern English literature. Yet this vast body of translation work has never before been presented as such, or in such depth. This collection brings together over a century of English biblical translation, by a host of translators from across English (and Scottish) society, offering a new understanding of the importance of the Psalms to early modern literature.
The translations are taken from both print and manuscript sources, and include translations in both prose and verse. The prose versions include Psalms from all the major English Bibles. The metrical Psalms range from common meter versions by Sternhold and Hopkins and their imitators, to sophisticated lyric verse by poets such as Thomas Wyatt, Henry Howard, Philip and Mary Sidney, John Donne, George Herbert, and John Milton. The collection includes verse translations by authors not primarily known for their poetry, such as Francis Bacon, Joseph Hall, and Simon Forman. Other translators include Katherine Parr, Anne Askew, Arthur Golding, King James VI and I, Anne Blount, and many more, both Protestant and Catholic, including many whose work has never before been printed.
The volume contains a detailed introduction discussing the history of biblical translation, the origin of the Psalms, the types of translation, the music translations were set to, and more. The edition also contains explanatory and textual notes and an extensive glossary. An essential collection for all scholars and students of literature and religion in early modern England.
Hannibal Hamlin is Professor of English at The Ohio State University.
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1-55 | | Cite |
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56-58 | | Cite |
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61-62 | The Psalter of David in English Purely and Faithfully Translated after the Text of Feline (1530) George Joye doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.8 | Cite |
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62-63 | | Cite |
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63-64 | | Cite |
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64-69 | A Primer in English with Certain Prayers and Godly Meditations, Very Necessary for All People that Understand Not the Latin Tongue (1534) George Joye doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.11 | Cite |
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69-71 | | Cite |
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71-72 | Biblia. The Bible: That Is, the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament, Faithfully and Truly Translated out of the Dutch and Latin into English [The Coverdale Bible] (1535) Miles Coverdale doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.13 | Cite |
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72-74 | | Cite |
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74-75 | Stories and Prophesies out of the Holy Scripture, Garnished with Fair Images and with Devout Prayers and Thanksgivings unto God (1536) Hannibal Hamlin doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.15 | Cite |
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75-77 | The Bible, Which Is All the Holy Scripture: In Which Are Contained the Old and New Testament Truly and Purely Translated into English by Thomas Matthew [The Matthew Bible] (1537) John Rogers doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.16 | Cite |
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77-85 | The Bible in English, That Is To Say the Content of All the Holy Scripture, Both of the Old and New Testament, Truly Translated after the Verity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts [The Great Bible] (1539) Miles Coverdale doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.17 | Cite |
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85-87 | The Most Sacred Bible, Which Is the Holy Scripture, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Translated into English (1539) Richard Taverner doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.18 | Cite |
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87-87 | | Cite |
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89-92 | | Cite |
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92-95 | Prayers of Holy Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Judges, Kings, and Renowned Men and Women of Either Testament (1544?) Hannibal Hamlin doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.22 | Cite |
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95-101 | | Cite |
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101-102 | | Cite |
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102-111 | | Cite |
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111-113 | Certain Psalms Chosen out of the Psalter of David and Drawn into English Metre by Thomas Sternhold, Groom of the King’s Majesty’s Robes (1547?) Thomas Sternhold doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.26 | Cite |
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114-115 | A Godly Meditation of the Christian Soul, Concerning a Love Towards God and his Christ, Compiled in French by Lady Marguerite, Queen of Navarre,and Aptly Translated into English by the Right Virtuous Lady Elizabeth, Daughter to our Late Sovereign Henry the John Bale doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.27 | Cite |
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116-118 | All Such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, Late Groom of the King’s Majesty’s Robes, Did in his Life Draw into English Metre (1549) John Hopkins doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.29 | Cite |
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118-144 | Certain Psalms Chosen out of the Psalter of David, Commonly Called the VII Penitential Psalms (1549) Tomas Wyatt doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.30 | Cite |
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148-153 | Certain Psalms or Songs of David: Translated into English Metre by Sir Thomas Smith, Knight, Then Prisoner in the Tower of London, with Other Prayers and Songs by Him Made to Pass the Time There (MS composed 1549) Thomas Smith doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.32 | Cite |
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154-159 | Certain Chapters Taken out of the Proverbs of Solomon, with Other Chapters of the Holy Scripture, and Certain Psalms of David Translated into English Metre (1549/50) John Hall doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.33 | Cite |
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159-160 | Certain Psalms Chosen out of the Psalter of David and Drawn Forth into English Metre (1550) William Hunnis doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.34 | Cite |
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160-163 | | Cite |
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166-168 | A Godly Psalm of Mary Queen, Which Brought Us Comfort All, Through God, Whom We of Duty Praise, that Gives his Foes a Fall. By Richard Beard (1553) Thomas Bownell doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.37 | Cite |
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168-171 | A Comfortable Epistle to God’s Faithful People in England, Wherein is Declared the Cause of Taking Away the True Christian Religion from Them, and How It May Be Recovered and Obtained Again (1554) Thomas Becon doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.38 | Cite |
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171-173 | | Cite |
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173-175 | | Cite |
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175-178 | The Appellation of John Knox from the Cruel and Most Unjust Sentence Pronounced against Him by the False Bishops and Clergy of Scotland (1558) William Kethe doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.41 | Cite |
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179-185 | The Bible and Holy Scriptures Contained in the Old and New Testament [The Geneva Bible] (1560) Various Translators doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.42 | Cite |
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185-197 | Sermons of John Calvin, upon the Song of Hezekiah Made After He Had Been Sick and Afflicted by the Hand of God (1560) Anne Vaughan Lock doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.43 | Cite |
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197-200 | | Cite |
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200-204 | The Whole Book of Psalms, Collected into English Metre by T. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, and Others (1562) William Whittingham doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.45 | Cite |
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204-207 | The Whole Book of Psalms, Collected into English Metre by T. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, and Others (1562) John Hopkins doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.46 | Cite |
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207-211 | The Whole Book of Psalms, Collected into English Metre by T. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, and Others (1562) Thomas Norton doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.47 | Cite |
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211-215 | The Form of Prayers and Ministration of the Sacraments […] Approved and Received by the Church of Scotland (1564) John Craig doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.48 | Cite |
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215-220 | The Form of Prayers and Ministration of the Sacraments […] Approved and Received by the Church of Scotland (1564) Robert Pont doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.49 | Cite |
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220-228 | Here Follows a Compendious Book of Godly and Spiritual Songs, Newly Translated out of Latin into English, Gathered out of Many and Diverse Scriptures, with Many Pleasant Ballads, and Changed out of Vain Songs into Godly Songs For To Avoid Sin and Harlotry John Wedderburn doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.50 | Cite |
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228-230 | The Court of Virtue, Containing Many Holy or Spiritual Songs. Sonnets, Psalms, Ballads, Short Sentences As Well of Holy Scripture As Others (1565) John Hall doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.51 | Cite |
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230-232 | | Cite |
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232-242 | The Whole Psalter Translated into English Metre, Which Containeth a Hundred and Fifty Psalms (1567) Matthew Parker doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.53 | Cite |
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243-247 | | Cite |
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247-250 | A Book of Very Godly Psalms and Prayers, Dedicated to the Lady Lettice Viscountess of Hereford (1570) Roger Edwardes doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.55 | Cite |
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250-259 | | Cite |
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268-268 | Godly Prayers and Meditations, Paraphrastically Made upon All the Psalms, Very Necessary for All the Godly, Translated out of French into English (1577) Robert Fills doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.59 | Cite |
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268-271 | The Psalms of David, Truly Opened and Explained by Paraphrasis […] Set Forth in Latin by That Excellent Learned Man Theodore Beza (1580) Anthony Gilby doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.60 | Cite |
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272-273 | | Cite |
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274-280 | | Cite |
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280-284 | The First Four Books of Virgil, his Aeneis Translated into English Heroical Verse by Richard Stanyhurst, with Other Poetical Devices Thereto Annexed (1582) Richard Stanihurst doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.63 | Cite |
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284-287 | The Fifth Lamp of Virginity Containing Sundry Forms of Christian Prayers and Meditations, To Be Used Only of and for All Sorts and Degrees of Women, in their Several Ages and Callings (1582) Thomas Bentley doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.64 | Cite |
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287-305 | Seven Sobs of a Sorrowful Soul for Sin, Comprehending Those Seven Psalms of the Princely Prophet David, Commonly Called Penitential (1583) William Hunnis doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.65 | Cite |
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305-307 | 1583. An: Foelicissimi Regni Reginae Elizabeth: XXVI. [‘In the 26th Year of the Most Happy Reign of Queen Elizabeth’] The Psalm by the Old Translation Called Deus Judicium (1583) William Patten doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.66 | Cite |
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307-309 | A Manual of Prayers Newly Gathered out of Many and Diverse Famous Authors As Well Ancient As of the Time Present (1583) George Flinton doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.67 | Cite |
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309-312 | | Cite |
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313-314 | | Cite |
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314-317 | | Cite |
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318-319 | | Cite |
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319-320 | A Golden Mirror Containing Certain Pithy and Figurative Visions Prognosticating Good Fortune to England and All True English Subjects, with an Overthrow to the Enemies (1589) Richard Robinson doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.72 | Cite |
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340-342 | Anno foelicissimi regni augustae reginae nostrae Elizabeth quadragesimo primo, fauste iam incepto.: psal. terseptimus: domine in virtute tua (1598) [‘In the Forty-First Year, Already Promisingly Begun, of the Most Happy Reign of Our August Queen Elizabeth. William Patten doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.79 | Cite |
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342-356 | | Cite |
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365-366 | Certain Psalms of David, Heretofore Much Out of Use Because of Their Difficult Tunes.: The Number Whereof Are Contained in the Page Following. Reduced into English Metre Better Fitting the Common Tunes (1603) Henry Dod doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.84 | Cite |
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366-380 | | Cite |
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387-389 | Holy Observations. Lib. 1. Also Some Few of David’s Psalms Metaphrased, for a Taste of the Rest (1607) Joseph Hall doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.89 | Cite |
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389-393 | | Cite |
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393-394 | Psalms, Songs, and Sonnets: Some Solemn, Others Joyful, Framed to the Life of the Words (1611) William Byrd doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.91 | Cite |
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403-405 | The Doleful Dove: or, David’s 7 Penitential Psalms, Somewhere Paraphrastically Turned into Verse, in The Muses Sacrifice (1612) John Davies doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.94 | Cite |
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430-436 | Sacred Hymns: Consisting of Fifty Select Psalms of David and Others, Paraphrastically Turned into English Verse (1615) Edwin Sandys doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.102 | Cite |
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436-440 | | Cite |
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441-443 | Songs of Sion Set for the Joy of God’s Dear Ones, Who Sit Here by the Brooks of this World’s Babel, and Weep When They Think on Jerusalem Which Is On High (1620) William Loe doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.105 | Cite |
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477-483 | England’s Hallelujah.: Or, Great Britain’s Grateful Retribution, for God’s Gratious Benediction […] Together with Diverse of David’s Psalms, According to the French Metre and Measures (1631) John Vicars doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.114 | Cite |
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483-485 | Psalms, or Songs of Sion Turned into the Language, and Set to the Tunes of a Strange Land.: By W. S. Intended for Christmas Carols (1631) William Slatyer doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.115 | Cite |
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486-488 | | Cite |
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488-497 | Earl of Stirling, The Psalms of King David Translated by King James, Cum Privilegio Regiae Maiestatis (1631) King James, William Alexander doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.117 | Cite |
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497-498 | All the French Psalm Tunes with English Words, Being a Collection of Psalms According to the Verses and Tunes Generally Used in the Reformed Churches of France and Germany (1632) John Standish doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.118 | Cite |
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498-502 | | Cite |
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515-521 | The Purple Island, or The Isle of Man, Together with Piscatory Eclogues and Other Poeticall Miscellanies (1633) Phineas Fletcher doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.123 | Cite |
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521-525 | | Cite |
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525-526 | | Cite |
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527-529 | | Cite |
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529-534 | Fifth Earl of Cumberland, Poetical Translations of Some Psalms and the Song of Solomon with Other Divine Poems (MS early 1630s?) Henry Clifford doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.127 | Cite |
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535-541 | | Cite |
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541-544 | Reliquiae Wottonianae, or, A Collection of Lives, Letters, Poems, with Characters of Sundry Personages and Other Incomparable Pieces of Language and Art (1651; composed post-1627) Henry Wotton doi:10.2307/jj.19341356.129 | Cite |
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545-565 | | Cite |
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