The expositions of the termes of the lawes of Englande, with dyuers proper rules and principles of the lawe, aswell oute of the bookes of master Littleton, as of other. Gathered both in French and English, for yong men verye necessarie, whereunto are added the olde tenures.
1572 English Short Title Catalogue record
1575 English Short Title Catalogue record
1579 English Short Title Catalogue record
The first edition of this dictionary of legal terminology was printed in 1527 by John Rastell (c. 1475–1536), a lawyer and printer who married the sister of Thomas More. In addition to law books he printed many humanist texts associated with Thomas More’s circle. John Rastell’s son William (1508-1565) who was an important connection for Richard Tottel in his early career, (see Rastell) is now considered the editor and translator of The Termes of the Laws of Englande although we can see the preface to Tottel’s 1575 edition is attributed to his father Johannus [John] Rastell.
The book is arranged alphabetically with parallel Law French and English definitions of each term displayed on the same page.
There is a digitsied copy of the 1575 edition.
Termes of the laws of Englande went through many editions and evolved into the eighteenth century dictionary, Termes de la Ley. The preface to the 1721 edition of this dictionary (pictured) attributes the book to William Rastell and states that:‘tho’ no Author’s Name has hitherto appear’d in the Title-Page of this Book, yet Sir Edward Coke, in the Preface to his 10th Report, ascribes it to William Rastal, a most learned Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in the Reign of Queen Mary; who left the Kingdom upon her Sister’s Accession to the Throne, (being, says the Bishop of Carlisle, as zealous a Romanist, as his Uncle Sir Thomas More,) and died at Louvain.’.
Richard Tottel 