William Barton (1598?–1678), was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

hymnologist Hymnology (from Greek ὕμνος ''hymnos'', "song of praise" and -λογία ''-logia'', "study of") is the scholarly study of religious song, or the hymn, in its many aspects, with particular focus on choral and congregational song. It may be mo ...

Life

Barton must have been born "about 1598" from his recorded age at death (eighty). Late in life Barton was

vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

of St. Martin's,

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

. He is probably to be identified with the William Barton who was vicar of

Mayfield, Staffordshire Mayfield is a village on the outskirts of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, about 9 miles from Uttoxeter, situated in East Staffordshire. The village is divided into Mayfield, Church Mayfield, Lower Mayfield, Upper Mayfield and Middle Mayfield. It has a ...

, at the opening of the civil wars, and who is described in a certificate presented to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

19 June 1643 as "a man of godly life, and able and orthodox in his ministry", and as "having been forced to desert his flock and family by the plundering cavaliers of Staffordshire". In Cole's ''Athen. Cantab'', he is described as a "

conforming Puritan Historians have produced and worked with a number of definitions of Puritanism, in an unresolved debate on the nature of the Puritan movement of the 16th and 17th century. There are some historians who are prepared to reject the term for historical ...

". From

Oliver Heywood Oliver Heywood (9 September 1825 – 1892) was an England, English banker and philanthropist. Born in Irlam O'Th' Height, Lancashire, the son of Benjamin Heywood, and educated at Eton College, Heywood joined the family business, Heywood's B ...

's "Obituaries" we learn the time of his death: "1678. Mr. William Barton of St. Martin's in Leicester died in May, aged 80".

Works

His verse-translation of the

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

s was first published in 1644. It was reprinted and altered in 1645, 1646, 1651, 1654, and later. The text having been revised for "the last time" by its

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

, it was posthumously republished in 1682. In the preface Barton says: "I have (in this my last translation) corrected all the harsh passages and added a great number of second metres." He continues: "The Scots of late have put forth a Psalm-book mostwhat composed out of mine and Mr. Rouse's; but it did not give full satisfaction, for somebody hath been at charge to put forth a new edition of mine, and printed some thousands of mine, in

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

, as it is reported. But whether they were printed there or no I am in doubt; for I am sure that 1,500 of my books were heretofore printed by stealth in England and carried over to

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

". In 1654 he had prepared the way for his enlarged and improved Psalms by publishing ''A View of the many Errors and some gross Absurdities in the old Translations of the Psalms in English Metre'' (Douce's copy in

Bodleian The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford, and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second- ...

). In 1659 he published ''A Century of Select Hymns''. This was enlarged in 1668 to ''Four Centuries'', and in 1688 to ''Six Centuries'', the last being edited by his son, Edward Barton, minister of Welford in

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

. His ''Centuries'' were dedicated to

Sir Matthew Hale Sir Matthew Hale (1 November 1609 – 25 December 1676) was an influential English barrister, judge and jurist most noted for his treatise ''Historia Placitorum Coronæ'', or ''The History of the Pleas of the Crown''. Born to a barrister and ...

. Richard Baxter suggested that Barton should specially translate and versify the ''Te Deum''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, William 1598 births 1678 deaths 17th-century English Puritans Roundheads Hymnologists