The Great Charter and Charter of the Forest

What it is

This is the title page of a 1759 book by William Blackstone, a barrister and legal scholar, presenting Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest along with other authentic documents, introduced by a historical discourse on the charters. The page bears the handwritten signature of a later owner, William Henry Lyttelton.

Why it matters

Blackstone was one of the most influential legal scholars of his time, and his edition shows how Magna Carta, agreed between King John and the barons, continued to shape English law and legal education centuries later. The ownership signature shows how such books passed through private hands.

Look closer

• Why might a legal scholar in the 18th century want to publish a careful edition of Magna Carta?
• What does the signature on the page tell us about who owned and read this book?
• What can a title page alone tell you, and what does it leave out about the book's contents?