Pièce 1 - The history of the lives, acts, and martyrdom of those bishops, fathers, and doctors of the primitive church

184 pp; printed

William Smith ‘The history of the lives, acts, and martyrdom of those bishops, fathers, and doctors of the primitive church’ (London, 1721). The text includes a series of woodcuts illustrating the lives of the early Christian martyrs. Includes illustrations of Saint Stephen (acknowledged as the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death), Saint Ignatius of Antioch (devoured by lions in the Colosseum), Saint Polycarp (a disciple of the Apostle John who was burned at the stake), Saint Dionysius the Areopagite (the woodcut likely confuses Dionysius the Areopagite with Saint Dionysius or Denis of Paris. It was the latter who was beheaded by the sword in the third century), and finally, Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (the precise circumstances of his death are not fully documented, but it is widely believed he died as a martyr in the late 2nd century).

The end cover of the volume is partially detached and there is extensive fraying and wear to spine. Careful handling of this volume is required.

There are several manuscript annotations on the inside covers. One of the annotations reads ‘Henry Smith / his book 1724’. Another annotation reads ‘John Herbert Orpen / Lisheen / Bantry / County of Cork / November 29th 1855’. For information on John Herbert Orpen of Lisheen House, Bantry, County Cork, see https://landedestates.ie/property/3765