/■j/OMAs I.I 1 1 i.i:n)\. 13 



SIR thoMaXs LrriLirroN. 



i4c._'-i4Si. 



JUDC.I': Ln TLI-vrox was the author of a studious book on tenures which 

 lias up to the pres(Mit chi\- been justly celebraletl as the princip.il pillar 

 upon whii-h the superstructure of the law of real property in the kingdom 

 is supported. Becoming eminent in his profession, he was appointed 

 in 1466 one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas. lie (lic(l in 

 1481, and was buried in Worcester Cathedral, 'i'lu- head of the taniily 

 bears to-day the honoured title of Lord Lyttlcton, and sev( ral of its 

 members are learned in the arts of peace and war. 



Two pages are rej^roduced from tlu> coj:)\- oi a late edition in \\\\ 

 collection. That illustrating a portion of the text gives a good 

 idea of its contents. (See opposite page.) 



JOHN FITZHERBERT. 



1460- 1 53 1 [about). 



With the invention of the art of printing greater attention began 

 to be paid to rural affairs, and the first English treatise on practical 

 husbandry appeared in 1523, during the reign of King Henrv Mil. 

 It was written by John Fitzherbert, twelfth lord of the manor of Xorbury, 

 in Derbyshire, from 1483 to 1331, and t^lder brother of .Sir Anthony 

 Fitzherbert, Judge of the Common Pleas. 



Although it is known for a certain face that Sir Anthon\ was the 

 author of one or more books on legal matters, all the earl\ biographers 

 have brought him down to us as the writer of a book on husbandrx- ami 

 one on surveying. It has been proved during the past ten )ears from 

 thorough investigations made by Sir Ernest Clarke, M.A., F.S..\., late 

 Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and late 

 Lecturer on the History of Agriculture at Cambridge University, that 

 these books were written by John Fitzherbert. On Februar\- i()th, iS(/), 

 Sir Ernest Clarke read before a meeting of the Bibliographical .Society 

 a paper in connection with this subject, giving the results of his 

 own researches. In the English Historical Review for April, 1807* 

 there is an interesting article upon the authorship of these books 

 from the pen of the Rev. Reginald II. C. h'itzherbert, in which 

 it is shown that th(; first edition of the " Boke of Husbondrye " was 



*No. 46, Vol. XII. 



