Father of the church from BL Eg 2339, f. 21v

Drawing of a standing Father of the Greek church, and decorated initials. Image taken from f. 21v of Hymns and prayers, preceded by extracts from the Fathers, and followed by other prayers, imperfect. Written in Greek.

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.