Littletons tenures in English
Publisher: By Rychard Tottill.
Published: 1583
Place of publication: Imprnted [sic] at London in Fleestrete [sic] within Temple Barre, at the signe of the Hand and Starre
Language: eng
Translated from: roa
Number of pages: 142
Subjects: Real property; Early works to 1800; Land tenure; Law and legislation
Other titles: Tenures in English
Work titles: Tenures
Notes: "Cum priuilegio." --foot of title and colophon.

Imprint from colophon.

Collation: A-S⁸ [$4 signed]

Errors in foliation: leaves 79, 87, 105 and 129 printed 99, 47, 98 and 120.

In predominantly black letter type; some Roman and italic type.

Initials.

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.) 15772

Beale, J.H. Engl. law T56

ESTC S106866

Ex libris Henry Clifford -- Francis Place -- George Dunn (his sale, Sotheby, 11 Feb. 1913, no. 139)

Imperfect copy: lacking final leaf, with colophon; replaced with ms. copy from the 1586 edition.

With a few early marginal annotations.

Early 19th century book plate of Francis Place, with his address '16 Charing Cross'. Bookplate of George Dunn, who purchased it in December 1884.

On the title page, ownership inscription of "Henricus Clifforde", written several times in a court hand; possibly Henry Clifford, the 5th Earl of Cumberland, who was admitted to Gray's Inn in March 1609/1610. With a few marginal annotations in Clifford's hand and some in another 17th century hand. Many sections numbered. A few marginal annotations in a 19th century hand.

Bound in 19th century dark green morocco decorated with gilt fillets and inside gilt dentelles; marbled paper pastedowns and endpapers; all edges gilt.

Bound in contemporary calf, covers decorated in blind with fillets and center medallion stamp, with initials H C stamped on either side of medallion; rebacked.