_Metrical Psalms, &c._ (Vol. iii., p. 119.).--ARUN may find all the
information he seeks by consulting a treatise of _Heylin's_ on the subject
of the metrical version of the Psalms, published by Dr. Rich. Watson, under
the title of _The Deduction_, 8vo. Lond. 1685.
Together with this treatise, two letters from Bishop _Cosin_ to Watson are
published; in the latter of which, towards the end, the following paragraph
occurs:--
"The singing Psalms are not adjoined to our Bibles, or to our Liturgy,
by any other authority than what the Company of Stationers for their
own gain have procured, either by their own private ordinances among
themselves, or by some order from the Privy Council in Queen
Elizabeth's time. Authority of convocation, or of Parliament, such as
our Liturgy had, never had they any: only the Queen, by her Letters
Patent to the Stationers, gave leave to have them printed, and allowed
them (did not command them) to be sung in churches or private houses by
the people. When the Liturgy was set forth, and commanded to be used,
these psalms were not half of them composed: no bishop ever inquired of
their observance, nor did ever any judge at an assize deliver them in
his charge: which both the one and other had been bound to do, if they
had been set forth by the same authority which the Liturgy was. Besides
you may observe, that they are never printed with the Liturgy or Bible,
nor ever were; but only bound up, as the stationers please, together
with it," &c.