Primer (prayer book)

Primer (Latin: primarium; Middle English: primmer, also spelled prymer)^[1] is the name for a variety of devotional prayer books that originated among educated medieval laity in the 14th century, particularly in England.^[2] While the contents of primers have varied dependent on edition, they often contained portions of the Psalms and Latin liturgical practices such as the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Medieval primers were often similar to and sometimes considered synonymous with the also popular book of hours (Latin: horae); typically, a medieval horae was referred to as a primer in Middle English.^[1]

Primers remained popular during and immediately after the English Reformation among Protestants in the Church of England, where it developed into an Anglican and humanist educational tool for schoolchildren. Catholic editions were occasionally produced up to the 20th century, though in limited numbers. Eventually their popularity as Christian texts waned as the word "primer" came to be associated with secular introductory textbooks.^{[3][4]: 402}