1764 Book of Common Prayer & Psalter, W/ Contemporary Binding & Hymn Inscription

A handsome and well-preserved eighteenth-century Book of Common Prayer, printed at Cambridge in 1764 by Joseph Bentham, Printer to the University, and retaining its attractive contemporary full calf binding. This devotional volume was clearly intended for daily use, containing the liturgy of the Church of England, the Psalter, Collects, Baptismal Offices, and a substantial section of private prayers and meditations.

Perhaps most appealing is the evidence of personal ownership and devotion. The title page bears an early owner's inscription, while a full manuscript copy of Thomas Ken's celebrated Evening Hymn has been carefully written on a rear blank leaf, providing a charming glimpse into the religious life of one of its eighteenth or early nineteenth-century owners.

Bibliographical Details:

Title: The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church... Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David

Printer: Joseph Bentham

Place: Cambridge

Bookseller: Benjamin Dod, Ave-Mary Lane, London

Date: 1764

Format:  Octavo

Condition:

• Bound in its contemporary full calf binding
• raised bands
• simple blind tooling to the spine.
•  rubbing and wear to the boards, corners, and spine
• Minor loss to the extremities of the leather is present, but the structure remains sound.
• Internally the text is generally clean
• There is occasional age toning and light foxing throughout
• together with a few marks expected of a devotional volume intended for regular use
• The manuscript additions remain clear and attractive.

Inscriptions

The title page bears the contemporary ownership inscription:
Margaret Laybourne
(or possibly Laybourn, the final letters being slightly abbreviated).
This appears to be the original owner's signature, adding a pleasing element of provenance.
At the rear of the volume a previous owner has carefully copied Thomas Ken's famous "Evening Hymn." The verses begin:
Glory to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light...
and conclude with the celebrated Doxology:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below...
The neat manuscript demonstrates that this volume served not merely as a church book but as a deeply personal devotional companion.

Historical Background:

This Prayer Book was printed in 1764, immediately following Britain's victory in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). The conflict transformed Britain into the dominant global imperial power, bringing Canada under British control and greatly expanding British influence in India.

Yet these triumphs came at a considerable financial cost. In an effort to repay the enormous national debt, Parliament soon introduced new taxation upon Britain's American colonies. Measures such as the Stamp Act of 1765 generated growing colonial opposition, tensions that ultimately culminated in the American Revolution only a decade later.

This volume therefore belongs to a fascinating moment in British history, when the British Empire stood at its greatest extent while unknowingly approaching one of its defining constitutional crises.

About the Printer

Joseph Bentham served as Printer to the University of Cambridge and produced numerous editions of the Bible and Book of Common Prayer during the mid-eighteenth century. His work is recognised for its clear typography and careful production, making his editions popular for both parish use and private devotion throughout Britain.

Features

• Printed in Cambridge in 1764.
• Joseph Bentham imprint.
• Contemporary full calf binding.
• Raised bands with blind-tooled spine.
• Complete Book of Common Prayer and Psalter.
• Includes Collects, Baptismal Offices, Thanksgivings, and Prayers.
• Early ownership signature of Margaret Laybourne (or Laybourn).
• Attractive manuscript copy of Thomas Ken's Evening Hymn.
• A fine example of an eighteenth-century Anglican devotional volume preserving both its original binding and evidence of centuries of personal use.