In D'Israeli's _Curiosities of Literature_, there is an amusing and
instructive account of the _Origin of Psalm-Singing_. It appears
that Psalms in verse were first written by that elegant French poet,
Clement Marot, the favoured court bard of Francis I., who was termed
by his _un-envious_ brother poets, "the poet of princes." They were
published at Paris, and the volume contained fifty Psalms, written in
various measures, and, which, from the beauty of their composition,
(some specimens of which we have seen,) appear to be worthy of the
muse of Marot. This "Holy Song Book," as he entitled it, was "humbly
dedicated to the powerful King of France," and being considered by the
volatile French people as an amusing novelty, it sold faster than
any book of that period. In fact, the printers could not supply
impressions fast enough for the demand; and, as the Psalms were
considered in the light of ballads, they were set by the people to
popular tunes, and were commonly _sung_ as ballads.
This good reception of Marot's Psalms induced the celebrated Theodore
Beza to continue the collection; and another volume was printed,
of which 20,000 were immediately sold: this was a considerable
circulation, when we consider the few readers that then existed, in
comparison with the number of readers in the present age. These had
the advantage over Marot's of being set to tunes of greater spirit.
Beza, in his preface, says, that "these Psalms are admirably suited
for the violin and other musical instruments;" and our readers will
learn, not without surprise, that through the instrumentality of
the gloomy Calvin, these compositions were set to most beautiful and
simple airs. He wisely took advantage of popular feeling to spread his
religious opinions, through the means of melody, and, in furtherance
of this plan, he engaged the most celebrated composers of his time
to furnish tunes to these Psalms. At first, the scheme was not
discovered: for Catholics sang the Psalms as well as Hugonots; but,
when Calvin appointed these Psalms, with their music, to be sung at
his meetings, there was an end to the solace of the dreary hours
of the poor Catholics. Marot himself was compelled to quit Geneva;
Psalm-singing became an open declaration of Lutheranism; and "woe
to the poor wight" who was caught in the _diabolical_ act of singing
these "pernicious Psalms."
The history of Psalm-singing in our own island can be comprised in
very few words. When the enthusiasm of the French in favour of their
Psalms was at its height, one Sternhold, undertook to be _our_
Marot, and wrote a Book of Psalms, which captivated the hearts of
the Puritans, by whom they were practised at their chapels in the
Protectorate of Cromwell, but were more particularly set and sung in
the reign of Elizabeth. Psalms, about this time, were sung at City
and Lord Mayors' feasts, and turtle-eaters delighted to honour
Psalm-singers. Soldiers used them as stimulants to exertion on their
march, and even on parade; and there was scarcely a regiment but could
boast of its Marot. About this time, too, it was customary for the
inhabitants of houses which had windows facing the street, to regale
the passenger with the "holy songs" of Sternhold.