1697 BAY PSALM BOOK. 1697 American Provenance Bible w/ Bay Psalm Book. Poor, but Worth Preserving!

Alright, so this isn't pretty . . . but it is an important little piece of Americana and we're always delighted to see a Bay Psalm Book in any form! 

The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments Newly Translated Out of the Original and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared. London. Charles Bill and Thomas Newcomb. 1697. 

[bound with]

The Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament faithfully Translated into English Meeter. For the Use, Edification and Comfort of the Saints in Publick and Private: Especially in New-England. Nd.

The bottom half of the title page is absent, though on the reverse of the Bay Psalm Book title it reads, "John Townsend. His Bible God give him grace there in to look. 1719." Appears quite similar in title typeset to the 1706 Thirteenth Edition [which sold for $23,900.00 at HA]. 

From the beginning, lacks all before Exodus 8, with perhaps some leaf loss in OT additionally. NT has title, begins textually at Matthew 4, and then ends lacking a few leaves at the end of Revelation. Other ommissions may exist. For the Bay Psalm Book title is 50% present as shown, then textually complete until page 80, then lacking approximately 10 leaves. 

John Townsend and Samuel Townsend on blank preceding the New Testament, presumably the same John Townsend who has signed the reverse of the Bay Psalm Book title page. Then, on the pastedown at the front is a family roster of Townsends ranging from their marriage in 1722 to the names of their children and their birth dates ending in 1745. This includes one son still-born in 1723. 

Wildly defective, but very rare.