MAy it please thee to under­stand, that I have collected the most choice and exqui­site tunes that are or have been used in all England; I have onely added or alte­red a little in some, to make them adequate and suitable to severall forms of metre, and to bring some choice strains and ditties into more frequent use, leaving multitudes of tunes (in Ravenscroft) as unnecessary & burdensome.

The Tenor-part of these tunes I have here pricked out, both for readines to hit, surenes to hold, suitablenes to the subject, pleasant­nes of variety, and easines of distinction: For to tie our selves to the tunes prescribed, will be a better distinction, then to print them in staves, because they are not all staffe-tunes.

The want of such an help as this causeth the Clerks to stumble so much upon the same tune, and to sing joyfull & dolefull ditties all alike, and makes the Congregation often to mistake, and fall sometimes into severall tunes at once, which disturbs the spirits and dulleth the de­votion.

[Page] And (Reader) were it but beleev'd what an easie thing it is to understand the use and meaning of the Musick notes, thousands (that have good voices) would observe, inquire, and exercise so much, as to be able to sing all these Preface-psalms in that variety of tunes wh [...]ch are here described, and so chaind on purpose as that one may easily fall out of one tune into another all along.

And whensoever thou wouldst learn a tune by it self, repeat those words that bear the burden of it; for instance, if thou wouldst learn Davids tune, use those words, Make joyfull noise unto, &c. for by harping still on the same words, a tune is more easily learnt.

Company and custome, the use of an instru­ment, or observation of a chime, are excellent and speedy means to learn tunes, which I leave to them that list, and to them that listen.

Nevertheless, for such as care not, or can­not learn, and till such learning be attained, know that Viz. Dutch tune, old En­gland tune, French tune, and London long tune. three or four of these tunes (eve­ry where known and heard of) with two or three lines of the old 113. psalm, will serve handsomly to sing all the Psalms in the book.

Now lest any man (in this stumbling age) should scruple at the lawfulnes of singing Da­vids psalms (as unsuitable to our occasions) let him consider that express Scripture, 2 Chron. 29. 30. which fully shews their law­fulness and worthiness, and the Arguments, Annotations, and the very Index will con­vince thee of their suitableness and excellence, [Page] for surely had people known those types and examples that are written for our learning in the book of psalms, Ignorance of the sense of Psalms, the cause why people doubt whe­ther they should use them. they would have acknow­ledged our state and story contained in them, and as fit for our times as for our text. Why may not a Christian sing & say now with Da­vid, I will divide Sichem and mete out the valley of Succoth, &c. Are not these types of Christ his conquests, and hath not every Chris­tian a share in his Saviours Victories? 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are yours, &c. He conquers for us, and we in him. And if such a passage as this, be currant, what can be excepted?

And what an acceptable service the singing of these psalms is, we have evidence in the ho­ly Scripture, 2 Chron. 20. 21. 22. When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set Am­bushments against the children of Ammon, &c.

Lastly, touching the translation it self, since Hebrew must be made English, English must be made Verse, and Verse ryme, wee must of ne­cessity admit some alteration and amplificati­on of words, although without extravagant excursions of unnecessary paraphrase or frothy flourishes of undivine Poetry.

But since Poetry is a gift of God too, and very notable to kindle, quicken, and enflame affection. Since this gift (in the greatest mea­sure) is most necessary for such a work as this, wherein much majestie and gracefulnes, toge­ther with plainnes, sweetnes, cleernes (sutable to the capacities of vulgar people, (and even of so many women) is required; Me thinks [Page] none should be of that mind to tie us so strictly to the prose and text, as must constrain us to render it in such rugged ingratefull and mis­shapen verse, as many judicious men have al­ready much misliked, and such as multitudes of plain people would deem to have neither ryme nor reason.

One translation I finde little better com­pacted throughout then this verse:

Another translation is full of uncouth He­braisms.

Others are full of extravagancies and in­congruities:

Doubtles therefore it will please the most, and most judicious, to make it smooth, cleer, and easie, yea, so that every line may contain distinct sense in it self, or else convey it so me­thodically to the next, that no disordered ruptures (which darken, dissipate, and a­dulterate the sense) might be found therein, [Page] which as it is the most dainty, so it is the most difficult peece of service of all other, and is onely found fault withall by many, because it is is so hard to hit: and for my libertie, and thy liking thereof, I pr [...]y thee give me leave to plead these insuing Considerations.

1. The [...]oly Scripture useth as much diffe­rence & indifference in Following the Sentua­gint [...] most com­mon (but yet the most cor­rupt) tran­slation. recitations of Scrip­ture, as I desire to be allowed me in this tran­slation. Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men, is rendred Eph. 4. 8. And gave gifts to men. Psal. 40. 6. Mine ears hast thou opened. Heb. 10. 5. A body hast thou ordained me. Yea, in the Old Test [...]ment, even in the tenor of the Commandements. Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Deut. 5. 12. Keep the Sab­bath day to sanctifie it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Ver. 14. That thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Aegypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sab­bath day. And in the New Testament, Mat. 6. 12. Forgive us our Debts. Luk. 11. 4. For­give us our sinnes. Yea, in the Psalms them­selves, Psal. 14. 5. There were they in great fear, for God is in &c. Psal. 53. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones, &c.

[Page] 2. Tho I change a word of the translation, yet possibly it may be as proper, pertinent, and significant, as that which is taken in the prose translation. Psal. 1. 3. I have translated [...] fade. Psal. 2. 1. I render [...] think. Buxtorf. Psal. 3. 2. [...] Succour any way (the word signifying all manner of Sal­vation, &c.) In divers other places tho I change the word, yet (I hope) I have not tres­passed upon the text.

And I trust I may affirm that notwith­standing any alteration of the prose, I have neither omitted any materiall word, nor in­serted any thing besides the scope and meaning of the text, but whatsoever I have expressed, is included, intended, and intimated in that Scripture which I render, Ellipsis and Pleo­nasmus (so frequent in the Hebrew) making much for paraphrase; yet have I not gone so wide with all my metres, but that others, with very scont metres, have been forc't to paraphrase farre wider; Neither are those Psalms which metre most frequently, more re­mote from the words then the rest, for I al­wayes took the matter in that form that it would most easily admit of metre, and thought it impossible to translate some Psalms neatly, had I not given way to let them fall into those formes, wherein thou now findest them.

Lastly, I affirm constantly, Nec verbum verbo cura­bis reddere, &c. Hor. that it is the dutie of a translator in such a work as this, [Page] to follow the idiom of his own language, otherwise he doth not keep to his text, but corrupt it rather: It is true, some words and phrases are so peculiar to a language, that no other may be found to render it ge­nuinely: I know not in what language to render this phrase without an Hebraism. Psal. 56. 12. Thy vowes are upon me O God. [...]

And some phrases are best understood by metaphrase of other language. I cannot but suppose that phrase, Psal. 129. ult. The bles­sing of the Lord be upon you, to be most properly rendred in our, God speed you Sirs. And th [...] phrase, Psal. 125. 3. Should put forth their hand to iniquitie, in most com­pleat sense thus, Should d [...] they care not what.

As for many Hebrew phrases, ( Men of bloods, i. e. bloody men, an heart and an heart, i. e. a double heart. Speak thee into wickednes, i. e. speak against thee wickedly) if I should keep to such like, I should fill the translation with absurdities and solecismes, and from Hebraismes should run into barba­rismes: And, I pray tell me, in what other language learned men have don so: who would translate, Auri sacra fames, O holy hunger of gold: but ô cursed thirst of gold, &c. Wherefore having been over-ruled to alter the first verse of the book, into that begin­ning, which seems to [...]ear it self so [...]old upon the Hebrew (tho partly sharing with the En­glish [Page] phrase) yet being suspicious (by what I hear from good criticks) I here reca [...]t, and lay down my first version in the other bal­lance (which is according to the Manuscript-Copie presented to the reverend. Assembly.) Take which you will.