Sir Thomas Littleton

Sir Thomas Littleton (born 1422, probably at Frankley, Worcestershire, England—died August 23, 1481, Frankley) was a jurist, author of Littleton on Tenures (or Treatise on Tenures), the first important English legal text neither written in Latin nor significantly influenced by Roman (civil) law. An edition (1481 or 1482?) by John Lettou and William de Machlinia was doubtless the first book on English law to be printed. It long remained the principal authority on English real property law, and in the 20th century Littleton’s work was still occasionally cited as authoritative.

Throughout a turbulent period in English history, Littleton held several high offices: sheriff of Worcestershire; recorder of Coventry, Warwickshire; justice of assize (trial judge) on the Northern Circuit; and judge of the Court of Common Pleas (appointed by King Edward IV, 1466). In 1475 he was created a Knight of the Bath.

Intended for the instruction of his second son, Richard, Littleton’s Treatise subtly differentiates various kinds of medieval English land tenure. It was written in law French, a specialized form of Anglo-Norman. Sir Edward Coke held Littleton’s work in high esteem and wrote an extensive commentary on it.