King James Psalms

[VirginiaHuguenot]

I believe that King James VI/I of Scotland/England prepared a poetic translation of the Psalms. I think they are found in The Poems of James VI of Scotland, ed. James Craigie, 2 vols (1955). I was wondering if they are online anywhere, or if there are any articles available which discuss this work. Also, I am wondering if they were composed in meter and ever sung, as from a Psalter. There may be discussion of this in Millar Patrick's Four Centuries of Scottish Psalmody, which I have, but have not yet checked. Any thoughts?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Yes, Patrick discusses both the poetic translations of individual psalms by King James and the 1631 Psalter that bore his name, although known to others as the 'Menstrie Psalms.'

There is some discussion of this from another source here:

King James had long meditated a metrical version of the Psalms, which might supersede that of Sternhold and Hopkins used in England. In his Poetical Exercises at Vacant Houres, published in 1591, he informs the reader that should his verses be well accepted, he would proceed to publish such number of the Psalmes as he had perfited, and would be encouraged to the ending of the rest. In a general assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, held at Burntisland in 1601, his majesty set forth the importance of improving the version then in use (Spottiswoode's History, p. 446).

In this well-intentioned but unfortunate project the king early invited Alexander's assistance, though throughout he was disposed to hold his ground against all supersession of his own inharmonious attempts by alternative versions. The thing went on sluggishly, and the new Psalmes did not appear until after the king's death in 1631, when they were published as The Psalmes of King David. Translated by King James. The following license faced the title-page:—Charles R. haveing caused this translation of the Psalmes (whereof oure late deare father was author) to be perused, and it being found to be exactly and truely done, we doe hereby authorize the same to be imprinted according to the patent granted thereupon, and doe allow them to be song in all the churches of oure dominiones, recommending them to all oure goode subjects for that effect. By a royal letter dated 14 June (1631), the English bishops were further commanded to introduce the new version into all the schools (Reg. of Letters).

Sir William had received a patent granting him the sole right for thirty-one years of printing or causing to be printed these Psalmes. Had the new version been acceptable to the churches and people, the profits must have been considerable; but it did not succeed, and speedily fell into deserved oblivion. A later element added to its unpopularity over and above the patentee's pressing of his books: it was even bound up with Archbishop Laud's detested Service Book (Memorials, pp. 167-170 seqq.). How far Sir William Alexander availed himself of the permission granted him by Charles I to consider and reveu the meeter and poesie thereof, cannot positively be determined now. There are great variations between the first edition of 1631 and that of 1636 (cf. Laing's Baillie's Letters and Journals, iii. 529). It seems clear that Charles must have winked hard in permitting the licence, as he must have known that the proportion of James to Alexander was as Falstaff's bread to his sack.