1716 History Of The Lives, Acts, Death, And Martyrdoms Of The Primitive Fathers

1716 folio edition of Apostolici, a foundational work of patristic church history authored by the prominent Anglican chaplain and scholar William Cave, D.D. (1637–1713). Printed in London during the early Enlightenment by "W.D." for a collective of prominent booksellers including J. Walthoe and J. Nicholson, the volume serves as a biographical compendium documenting the lives, acts, and martyrdoms of the immediate successors to the Apostles and the key Primitive Church Fathers spanning the first three centuries of Christianity. Historically, Cave's work emerged during a period of intense theological debate in England, where mapping the lineage of the early Church was actively utilized to legitimize contemporary Anglican ecclesiastical authority and establish institutional continuity. The text prominently displays a central Greek citation alongside striking red and black ink rubrics, classic layout features of 18th-century print culture designed to prioritize reader navigation and signal high-status scholarly printing.