Het Boeck der Ghesangen was the title of three Dutch Mennonite hymnbooks.

(1) A hymnbook used by the Waterlander congregations, compiled by Hans de Ries. This hymnbook went through at least seven editions under different titles. The oldest edition, 1582, is entitled Lietboeck (see Hans de Ries).

(2) A hymnbook containing the Psalms in the rhymed version of Petrus Dathenus and Lof-sanghen ende Geestelijcke Lieden, an anthology of hymns from the Lietboeck (1582) of Hans de Ries, followed by the Confession of de Ries and Lubbert Gerrits. It was published in Hoorn in 1618. This edition was formerly called the Hoornsche Gesanghboeck.

(3) A hymnbook containing the Psalms in the rhymed version of Petrus Dathenus, parts 2, 3, and 4 of the Liedtboeck (1582) by Hans de Ries, followed by the Confession of de Ries and Lubbert Gerrits; it was published at Amsterdam (B. Otsz, voor Claes Jacobsz in de Rijp) in 1624. Later editions of (2) appeared under the title Gesangh-boeck, vervaet in vier Delen, . . . ; there are known editions of 1648 (de Rijp), 1658 (de Rijp; printed at Hoorn), and 1684 (de Rijp). The edition of 1684 does not contain the Psalms. This hymnbook was usually called the "Rijper" songbook.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, pp. 514-515. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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