The book reveals the secrets of the lives of children born out of wedlock as the wealthy were in arranged marriages and as a result took mistresses and what provision was made for them. You will learn that opportunities were open to them in the late 13th to late 16th centuries.

Essex Family Historian - No.175, December 2021

This book is utterly invaluable to anyone studying the Medieval gentry and nobility, landholding or law. It is also, however well-written enough to keep the interest of the casual and curious reader.

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GoodReads, Joanna Arman

Overall, I found this book informative and well researched. I think it will make a great resource for those who want to learn more about the late medieval period and illegitimate children. If learning about illegitimacy and late medieval England, you should check out, “The Legitimacy of Bastards: The Place of Illegitimate Children in Later Medieval England” by Helen Matthews.

Adventures of a Tudor Nerd

Helen Matthews brings to light many of these children, their families, and the different aspects of their lives – many of which we may not know about. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learning about a different part of medieval history, one that is not often discussed, except for royal bastards.

This book is definitely worth the read! Grab it now!

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A Tale of Two Pages

As featured in

Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society

It is a text that I think is very useful to know more closely a social and legal aspect that often in "big stories" of medieval conflict and families is treated "en passant". A book that will reveal to many a side of the late medieval English world that deserves to be known.

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Old Barbed Wire Blog

The further I read into The Legitimacy of Bastards; The Place of Illegitimate Children in Later Medieval England the more I realised how useful this book will be to any researcher, student of history or casual reader around the subject. The impeccable research and engaging writing style make this a valuable addition to anyone’s medieval library.

I cannot recommend it highly enough!

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History The Interesting Bits, Sharon Bennett Connolly

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Clwyd Family History Society

This major work has been handled carefully and with concern for historical accuracy, outlining legal responsibilities and with an overall regard for the machinations of conflict in law.

Cumbria FHS

This is a scholarly work with a very extensive bibliography and a 'Dramtis Personae' enabling the reader to keep track of the individuals who appear in different contexts throughout the book.

Bristol & Avon FHS

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Glasgow and West Scotland Family History Magazine

This is a well researched tome - the mind boggles at the number of resources consulted, and this reader in particular is glad that the leg-work has already been done. I can see this as a valuable resource in itself for those interested in medieval family and law; but also for those who dabbled in historical fiction, you may also want to add this to your reference shelf, as it will certainly aid in adding a touch of realism and authenticity to some storylines. I still have this book sitting on my desk as I type as I am not quite ready to consign it to the book shelves just yet.

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Melisende's Library

As featured on The Lost Cousins Newsletter

Lost Cousins

It is interesting to note that Helen Matthews studied medieval history at UCL and Royal Holloway when a chance remark in a footnote inspired her to embark on the thesis on medieval bastards, on which "The Legitimacy of Bastards" is based. Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a one page Glossary, a fifty-nine pag Anex (Dramatis Personae), a five page Bibliography, and a five page Index, "The Legitimacy of Bastards" is certain to be an enduringly appreciated and valued addition to both community and academic library English Medieval History collections and supplemental studies lists.

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Midwest Book Review

This is not a guide for family historians wishing to trace illegitimate ancestors, but rather claims to be the first book ‘to consider the individuals who had illegitimate children, the ways in which they provided for them and attitudes towards both the parents and the bastard children’. Some might be deterred by densely packed, lengthy paragraphs and the complete absence of footnotes/endnotes, precluding the precise identification of cited sources. However, as an academic critique of a subject that has proved fascinating for historians and genealogists alike, this is a worthwhile, if not essential, read.

Alde Valley, Suffolk, Family History Group, June 2019

From the Dark Ages right up to Victorian times, royal bastards and illegitimate children of high ranking Peers of the Realm have shaped many parts of the country’s history. Helen’s book takes a close and fascinating look at these people in a way that will make you think of them in a new light. Superbly entertaining.

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Books Monthly