Lyttilton tenures truely translated into Englysshe
Publisher: Thomas Berthelet
Published: 1545
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Translated from: roa
Number of pages: 162
Subjects: Real property; Early works to 1800; Land tenure; Law and legislation
Work titles: Tenures
Notes: Title within an ornamental border (McKerrow, Borders, no. 30) with the date 1534 in the sill.

Printer's name from STC (2nd ed.)

Collation: A-V⁸ X⁴ [$5 (-E5) signed; misprinting E1 as G1; X4 blank]

Errors in foliation: leaves 2, 4 and 6 printed 3, 5 and 7; leaves 8-161 printed 9-162.

In predominantly black letter type; some Roman type.

Initials, some historiated.

Side notes.

Formerly STC 15735.

Impressions vary, e.g.: leaf 41 [i.e. 40] verso, line 15 has: 'Alsoo if a vyllayne be' or 'Also yf a villayne bee'.

First published in Law French in 1482, Littleton's work was the earliest printed treatise on English law not printed in Latin. It incorporated some material from the Old tenures and "sums up the development of what was then the most important branch of the common law". --cf. Oxford companion to law.

The 1st translation from Law French into English (STC 15759.5) was published by John Rastell [1523-1525]

STC (2nd ed.) 15764.5

Beale, J.H. Engl. law T43

19081128

Ex libris Robert Gosnold -- John Wareyn -- George Dunn (his sale, Sotheby, 11 Feb. 1913, no. 130)

Ex libris William Marston -- William Nelson -- Rouland Savage.

Bound in contemporary calf, covers decorated in blind with fillets and 'foliage panel with birds' roll (Oldham, Blind stamped, no. FP. f (3) 676); guards of manuscript waste, back flyleaf and pastedown of printed waste (leaves from Ovid's Amores, book 1); probably London bound. Edge-mark: Littletōn 1545. On front flyleaf, signature of Robert Gosnold in a contemporary hand; ownership inscription of John Wareyn, dated 1667. At head of title page: Robert Warden (?) in an early hand. Bookplate of George Dunn, who purchased it in August 1893.

In this copy, leaf 41 [i.e. 40] verso, line 15 has: 'Alsoo if a vyllayne be'.

Bound in 19th century brown morocco period binding, decorated in blind and gilt with fillets, corner ornament stamps and decorative roll, inside gilt rules; all edges gilt; signed Lloyd, Wallis & Lloyd. Contemporary ownership inscription on title page is torn. Signatures of early owners written several times on flyleaves and in margins of text, including William Marston, William Nelson (on X4r) and 'Rowland Savadge' (on V4v); the latter may be Rouland Savage, admitted to Middle Temple in November 1685. With a few marginal annotations and Latin mottoes in 16th century hands. Some marginal annotations in a 19th century hand, faded due to washing. At end of table in the same hand: 'The author of this book was Thomas Westcote - eldest son of Thomas Westcote by Elizabeth only dau[ghter] & heir of Thomas Littleton of Frankley ... '.