“Ad literaturam po-nere” means to put children to school. This liberty was anciently denied to those parents who were servile tenants, without the lord’s consent. The prohibition against tbe educa-tion of sons arose from the fear that the son, being bred to letters, might enter into holy orders, and so stop or divert the services which he might otherwise do as heir to bis father. Paroch. Antiq. 401
Source: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
