<<My understanding is that at least up to the 18th century and probably also the 19th, it was impossible to leave anything to an illegitimate offspring. So I suspect most of this will was invalid. It was, however, possible to give them things in their lifetime, which is what an ancestor of mine did in the early 17th century for a son born before he married the mother.>> Hello Tim, it was certainly possible to leave property to illegitimate offspring. As I explained recently about widow's and children's Thirds, English law has generally allowed testators to leave their property to whomesoever they wish (subject to the various restrictions in force at different times and places as to widows and legitimate children). What you're thinking of is the rule that illegitimate children couldn't inherit under the general laws of inheritance. So if their father died intestate, they got nothing (nor could they claim their Third, if they lived in a time and place when that law was operating). But if their father made a will then he could certainly leave them something. Though as it happens the multi-paternal Robert Hesketh didn't make his gifts to his illegitmate children in his will - he gave them their portions shortly before his death, in the Deed(s) recited in the IPM. (Perhaps he didn't trust his legitimate family to implement will bequests in favour of the illegitmate offspring) Regards, Matt Tompkins Blaston, Leics