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Identifier
KD 833 .L5713 1541 / 1556
Creation Date
1541
Description
Littleton, Thomas. Lyttleton Tenures in Englysshe. London: Thomas Petyt, 1541.
Littleton, Thomas. Lyttilton Tenures. Thomas Marshe, 1556.
Traditionally recognized as the first law book printed in England, Littleton's (c.1407–1481) Tenures has been published in over ninety editions. Although the work was likely well-known in manuscript form after its composition, the first printed edition, in Law French, appeared in 1481 or 1482, shortly after the author’s death. Focusing on the law of property, the treatise summarizes decisions from the Year Books, explaining their reasoning in clear and direct language and organizing English land law systematically; as a result, it quickly became the standard textbook for law students. These two copies represent English translations that followed the first English translation printed sometime around 1531.
View the 1541 edition's record in the library catalog.
View the 1556 edition's record in the library catalog.
Rights
Digital exhibit content is made available under CC BY-NC-SA.