The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England; Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David.

London: Printed by Charles Bill and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, 1699.
Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.

A handsome late 17th-century Church of England Book of Common Prayer, printed during the reign of King William III, extensively ruled in red throughout and preserved in an elaborate contemporary or near-contemporary blind-tooled leather binding.

The volume also contains the Psalms of David in Metre and additional devotional material, forming a substantial Anglican devotional volume intended for both church and private use.

The Binding

One of the most attractive features of this copy is its early dark leather binding, which appears contemporary or near-contemporary to the publication.

Both boards are extensively decorated in blind with geometric panels, floral and foliate ornaments, repeated corner tools and decorative borders. The spine retains further blind decoration within its compartments.

The binding has seen considerable use over more than three centuries, but much of the original decoration remains clearly visible. Rather than a later antiquarian rebinding, this appears to represent the book much as an early owner would have known it.

Red-Ruled Throughout

The pages have been extensively ruled by hand in red, including the title page and text.

Red ruling was an additional decorative treatment applied to more carefully presented books and gives the volume a particularly striking appearance, with the black letterpress typography framed and divided by fine red lines.

Small variations and extensions in the ruling indicate that the lines were applied by hand rather than being part of the printed page.

Printed Under William III

The book was printed in 1699, near the end of one of the most turbulent centuries in English religious history.

Only eleven years earlier, the Glorious Revolution had removed James II and brought William III and Mary II to the English throne. Mary died in 1694, leaving William to reign alone until his death in 1702.

The Prayer Book itself follows the tradition established by the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, introduced after the Restoration of Charles II and the Act of Uniformity. The 1662 liturgy became one of the defining texts of Anglican worship and remains enormously influential within the Church of England.

The volume therefore represents the established Anglican Church only a generation after the Restoration and shortly after the religious and political upheaval of the Glorious Revolution.

Royal Declaration

An especially attractive preliminary leaf bears the Royal Arms and the heading "MARIE R."

It reproduces a declaration originally issued at Whitehall on 6 October 1692, during the joint reign of William III and Mary II, concerning the ordering and observance of worship within the Church.

Although originally issued several years before this book was printed, the declaration continued to be incorporated into subsequent editions of the Prayer Book.

Psalms of David in Metre

Bound with the Prayer Book is The Psalms of David, in Metre, representing the long Protestant tradition of adapting the Psalms for congregational singing.

The metrical Psalms were an important component of English Protestant worship and allowed biblical Psalms to be sung communally according to established metres.

The volume additionally contains further devotional and prayer material, including prayers arranged around the Sundays of the ecclesiastical calendar.

Printing & Bibliographical Information

Title: The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments
Date: 1699
Place: London
Printers: Charles Bill and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb
Authority: Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty
Church: Church of England
Language: English
Reference: Wing B3699

Charles Bill and the executrix of Thomas Newcomb operated under royal authority as the King's Printers, an office responsible for the production of authorised religious and governmental works.

Condition

Fair antiquarian condition, with substantial signs of use and wear consistent with a devotional volume more than 325 years old.

The early leather binding is heavily rubbed and worn, with surface loss, worn corners and edges, and significant losses to the leather of the spine. The underlying sewing and binding structure are exposed in places.

The text block has considerable structural weakness, with separated and loosening gatherings, exposed sewing and sections which should be handled carefully. Leaves show occasional edge wear, creasing, tears, staining, spotting and age toning.

Despite the structural condition, the printed text remains generally strong and highly legible, while the extensive red ruling remains particularly attractive. Much of the elaborate decoration of the early binding also survives.

The volume is offered as an unrestored historical object and would benefit from sympathetic conservation and stabilisation.

Please examine all photographs carefully.

A visually distinctive 1699 Book of Common Prayer combining several desirable features: a late Stuart printing from the reign of William III, extensive hand-applied red ruling, a highly decorated early leather binding, royal declaration bearing the arms of William and Mary, and accompanying metrical Psalms.

Despite its well-used condition, the survival of its early binding and decorative treatment gives the volume considerable character and provides a tangible example of Anglican devotional life at the end of the 17th century.

Dimensions:

Weight - 575g

Height - 19.5cm

Width - 12.5cm

Thickness - 4cm