An investigation of the complex social and legal issues surrounding illegitimate offspring in Renaissance Florence

This is a study of bastardy and marriage between the 16th and 18th centuries, exploring the topic from a regional perspective. The book asserts that the very concept of national demographic data is shown to be deeply flawed.

First full-length examination of bastardy in Scotland during the period, exploring its many ramifications throughout society.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1975.