Harley Prayer Book facts for kids

The Harley Prayer Book is a very old and special book. It is kept safe at the British Library in London. This book is one of four early prayer books made in Mercia, an ancient kingdom in England. It was probably created near Worcester.

The other three prayer books like it are the Royal Prayer Book, the Book of Cerne, and the Book of Nunnaminster. These books give us a peek into how people prayed long ago.

The Harley Prayer Book: An Ancient Treasure

What is the Harley Prayer Book?

The Harley Prayer Book is a collection of prayers. It was written by hand many centuries ago. It is called a codex, which is another word for an old handwritten book. This book is very important for understanding early English history and religion.

A Glimpse into the Past: When and Where?

This prayer book was made a very long time ago, between about 775 and 825 AD. That means it's over 1,200 years old! It comes from a part of England called Mercia, likely from the city of Worcester.

A small, special mark was added to the book around the time it was made. It looks like a dotted 'Y' symbol. This same symbol is found in the Royal Prayer Book. This suggests that both books might have come from the same place or workshop.

What's Inside? The Prayers and Their Look

The Harley Prayer Book is written mostly in Latin, which was the language of learning and the church back then. It also has some notes, called glosses, written in Old English. These notes help explain the Latin words.

The book is not complete; it's a bit fragmentary. It only has seven pages made of parchment. Parchment is a material made from animal skin, used for writing before paper was common. There are also seven modern paper pages added at the front and back.

The Prayers: A Closer Look

The book contains eight different prayers. Here's a quick look at what they are about:

• The first prayer (pages 1 to 2) is an invocation. This means it's a call to God, asking for help and protection. It has special features called lorican, which are like protective charms.
• The second prayer (pages 2 to 3) asks God to keep the person praying from sin.
• The third prayer (page 4) calls upon the Trinity (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), angels, and many important saints. These include apostles, John, Clement, Gregory, Benedict, Martin, Lawrence, Stephen, and George.
• The fourth prayer (pages 4 to 5) asks for guidance to follow God's ways.
• The fifth prayer (pages 5 to 6) praises the Trinity.
• The sixth prayer (pages 6 to 7) is a penitential plea. This means the person is asking for forgiveness and hoping to go to heaven.
• The seventh prayer (pages 7 to 7) is another call to the Trinity, Old Testament prophets, and All Saints. It asks that the person praying may enter heaven with them.
• The last prayer (page 7) is not finished.

How it Looks: Script and Colors

All the prayers are written in a special style of handwriting called insular minuscule script. This was a common way of writing in Britain and Ireland during that time. The writing is done in ink.

Some letters at the beginning of sections, called initials, are small and written in brown ink. Other letters are made to stand out. They are highlighted or heightened with touches of red, green, or yellow, or a mix of these colors. This made the pages look more beautiful and important.