The Church-History of Britain; From the Birth of Jesus Christ Until the Year MDCXLVIII

London: Printed for John Williams at the signe of the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1655. Ex-Library First edition. Hardcover. poor to near fine. Folio. (8, 19, 1)pp. index) 171 (1), (8) 427 (1), (8) 235 (1), (8) 238 (2), (8) 172, 22pp. Original calf with blind-stamped ruling on covers, blind-stamped vignettes and gilt lettering on spine; raised bands and housed in an orange clamshell box. Red edges. Title pages for each book with double-rule border and vignette. Historiated headpieces, endpieces and initials including first dedication to Esmé Stuart, Duke of Richmond, and nineteen page index with headpiece and two initials at front. Each book with dedication including decor and all chapters of the various books with divisional title pages, except for book one, and with decorative headpieces and heraldic initials. First and second (171pp.), third through seventh book (427pp.), eight and ninth book (235pp.), and tenth and eleventh book (238pp.) with continuous pagination. Contains index at front; does not include the 5 engravings, respectively folding map of Cambridge University. Shoulder notes. Block washed.

The history of the Church of Britain in XI. books bound with the "History of the University of Cambridge since the Conquest" (172pp.) and "The History of Waltham-Abby in Essex, Founded by King Harold" (22pp.) by the prolific English historian Thomas Fuller (1608-1661). He was admitted Doctor of Divinity at Cambridge in August of 1660. He is said to have been the first English writer to live by his pen and from his wealthy and noble patrons. "...his most celebrated work, the huge Church-History of Britain, which, like all his books, abounds in quaint humor and epigrammatic sayings. Its accuracy was impugned by Heylin, and Fuller retorted in a lively "Appeal of Injured Innocence (1659), his last publication of importance." (Schaff-Herzog). Does not include folding map of Cambridge nor additional engravings but those mentioned.

Clamshell box with library barcode at upper left corner of front cover. Binding with wear along edges, scuffing, rubbed and light soiling. Front and back cover separated but present. Red edges faded. Inked name of previous owner on front free endpaper. Pages 187-190 in book V. with loss at top and foredge but repaired professionally. Clamshell box in near fine, binding in poor, interior in very good condition.