Historiated initials from BL Eg 3277, f. 118

Text page with a bar border and historiated initials 'C'(oncede): the Virgin feeds Christ (Virgo lactans); historiated initial 'O'(mnipotens): the Trinity (Gnadenstuhl). Image taken from f. 118 of Psalter, Use of Sarum ('The Bohun Psalter and Hours'), imperfect. Written in Latin and Anglo-Norman (one folio).

The concept of the Trinity is a central doctrine of Christianity that refers to the belief in one God who exists as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity are equal in power and glory, and yet distinct in their roles and relationships with one another. The Father is the source of all that exists, the Son is the redeemer of humanity, and the Holy Spirit is the comforter and guide of the Church. The doctrine of the Trinity is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, as well as in the early Christian Church's reflection on the nature of God and on the experience of God's presence in the world. The Trinity is a mystery that transcends human understanding and cannot be fully grasped by the human mind.

The Egerton Manuscript Collection is named after its founder, Sir Thomas Egerton (1540-1617), 1st Viscount Brackley, was a lawyer, statesman, and patron of the arts during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I of England. He served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and later as Lord Chancellor of England, holding high positions in the legal and political realms.

Sir Thomas Egerton acquired a substantial number of historical and literary manuscripts. In 1617, shortly before his death, Sir Thomas Egerton bequeathed his collection of manuscripts to the British Museum, which was the precursor to the British Library.