The Booke of Common Prayer

London: Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie. 1604.

First edition of the Jacobean Prayer Book or the Hampton Court Book and the fourth version of the Book of Common Prayer (after the 1549, 1552 and 1559 versions). 288x190mm. Collates a10 (of 12, lacking a6 and a7), B8; A8, B10, C8-N8, O10, P8, Q6. One leaf with a prayer in manuscript between B8 and A1. Strapwork title page printed in black and red.
Bound with The Psalter or Psalmes of David, after the translation of the great Bible: Pointed as it shall be sung or said in Churches, London: Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie, 1604. A-K8.
And bound with The Whole Booke of Psalmes, collected into English meeter by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins and others. London: Printed for the Company of Stationers, 1604. A4, B-T6, U8. Bound in at the end are three leaves with prayers in manuscript although the first of these is torn along the outer edge with loss of text.
Bound in contemporary calf, borders ruled in gilt and blind and with a gilt strapwork arabesque centrepiece. Recently rebacked to style and repair to corners. Some rubbing and scuffing to the covers but overall a nice copy and internally very clean and fresh with the lovely woodcut initials particularly fine.
This beautiful prayer book was one of the results of the Hampton Court conference of 1604 and although the changes from the 1559 Prayer Book were fairly minor, they did mark a shift towards a more formal style of worship and away from some Puritan practices. And there is nothing puritanical about the beautiful printing.