Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Will of Sir Richard Blake, Knight of St John Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/374/96 - probated 19 Oct 1683

Sir Richard Blake, knight (testator) is the son of Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall. Thomas is the eldest son of John Blake and Margaret Blake. As such he is descendant of both the Calne Wiltshire Blake family and the Andover Hampshire Blake family. Richard was the sixth son of Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall and youngest. He is listed in the Pedigree Chart for the Blake family at Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. He was born circa 1614 as he was 69 years of age when he died in 1683. He married Elizabeth Bathurst and her father was a Doctor of Physsick according to the Pedigree Chart. Only two children are listed on the chart for this couple namely Elizabeth and Mary. He mentions that some children have died and are buried at the St Mary Savoy Church.

A quick verification of the siblings of Sir Richard include his eldest brother Thomas, his brothers Arthur, Francis and William. Only Robert is missing from his list although Arthur is now deceased and it is the son of Arthur that is mentioned as well. The children of Thomas his brother are mentioned so perhaps Thomas is also deceased. Martha daughter of Thomas does not appear on the chart (married to Deakins). Looking carefully at the chart I see that the son of Thomas (brother to the testator) is named as Thomas Blake of Finkley and I did a will a while ago for a Thomas Blake of Finkley

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/will-of-thomas-blake-of-finkley.html

and this will is probated 26 Nov 1680. I hadn't linked this will back to the Thomas Blake/Eleanor Hall family as such it is new information for me to consider. There is no information on the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office past Thomas (at Finkley) and his siblings Robert and Charles (both said to live in London) and their sister Mary who married William Newland (they married 20 Feb 1652/53 at St Paul's Church Covent Garden London) and thus begins through this family the line that leads eventually to Diana, Princess of Wales. Their daughter Mary Newland baptized 6 Dec 1659 at St Pauls Church Covent Garden married Isaac Manley MP (Dublin Ireland) 20 May 1678 at St Peter's Church Cornhill London and their daughter Dorothy Manley married William Gore MP. Their son Colonel John Gore married Bellamira Munbee with their son Vice Admiral Sir John Gore KCB who was born 9 Feb 1772 at Kilkenny Ireland married Georgiana Montagu 15 Aug 1808 at St George's Church Hanover Square London. This returns this family line into London and their daughter Anne Frances Gore married 1st Earl Howe Richard William Penn Curzon GCH 9 Oct 1845 at Great Witley Worcestershire. Their daughter Lady Mary Anna Curzon-Howe married 2nd Duke of Abercorn James Hamilton KG 7 Jan 1869 at St George's Church Hanover Square London and their son 3rd Duke of Abercorn James Albert Edward Hamilton KG married Lady Rosaline Cecilia Caroline Bingham DBE 1 Nov 1894 at St Paul's Church Knightsbridge London. Their daughter Lady Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Hamilton DCVO, OBE married the 7th Earl Spencer Albert Edward John  26 Feb 1919 at St James' Church Piccadilly London. Their son 8th Earl Spencer Edward John MVO married the Honourable Frances Ruth Burke Roche and their third daughter was Lady Diana Frances Spencer  born 1 Jul 1961 at Park House Sandringham Norfolk.

The children of Thomas Blake of Finkley were listed in his will and they include sons Richard, Peter and Charles with three daughters unnamed. The fortunes of these families are most interesting as they move away from each other and lose touch likely. Certainly the brothers of Thomas Blake father of Thomas Blake at Finkley had substantial holdings and included Francis Blake of Highgate in Middlesex and William Blake of St Pauls Covent Garden but both married heiresses. As did their brother Robert who remained at Enham (near Andover) and it is his son John Blake of Andover who answered a question for me. The Pedigree Chart shows John Blake of Andover his only child living in 1690 and unmarried which eliminated this line from my quest since I have a John Blake in my line who was married in 1690 (married in 1683).

An interesting will and I understand a little better the land and property in England. The lands that Sir Richard uses for his income are actually owned by the Earl of Exeter but held by long leases by Sir Richard. He then improves upon the estate by building useful messuages and tenements which are then in turn rented for business purposes - Inns, carpentry, etc and the income that he receives is his yearly earnings from which he then pays the Earl of Exeter for leasing the land. The Earl of Exeter is hence a major landowner with a number of gentry living on his lands and creating an income for him and themselves. No idea on why the youngest son of Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall is a Knight or how/when he was appointed.I will investigate that in the future. This Blake line has daughtered out with this family.

An interesting article on Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir Richard:

http://web.warwick.ac.uk/english/perdita/html/pw_BURN01.htm
Perdita woman: Elizabeth Burnet

Biography

Elizabeth Blake-Berkely-Burnet, born 8.11.1661, was eldest daughter of Sir Richard Blake of Southhampton and Elizabeth Bathurst. When she was 17, Dr. Fell, guardian of Robert Berkely, arranged Berkely’s marriage to her. His mother was Catholic, and at the accession of James II she persuaded him to go into exile in Holland. There she met the Burnets and became a friend of Mary. Berkely died in 1693 and was buried at his home, Spetchly. She developed a friendship with Dr. Stillingfleet, bishop of Worcester: in her widowhood she stayed with him and with Robert Wylde, and her sister, the wife of Judge Dormer. John Locke was their neighbour in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and she began a friendship with him: he sent her his Reply to Stillingfleet (1697) and she responded with a detailed critique. She married Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury, in May or June 1700. (The Correspondence of John Locke ed. E. S. De Beer, 8 vols (Oxford: Clarendon, 1976-1989, 6, no. 2315, 7, no. 2879) It may have been while living in Salisbury that she became friendly with John Norris of Bemerton. She had five step-children: her own two children died in infancy. She and her husband had a close relationship with the Churchills, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. She was a lifelong Whig (her husband said that her zeal for politics was perhaps ‘her only excess’). Her health was always poor--a letter to John Locke describes her symptoms in detail. He replied telling her to do less reading, which she refused to do.( The Correspondence, 6, nos 2491, 2511). She introduced the author Catharine Trotter to him in 1702--she had written A Defence of the Essay of Human Understanding (1702)-- and asked him to give her money, as she herself had done. (The Correspondence, 7, nos 3153, 3164) In 1707 she took a trip to Holland for her health, accompanied by her step-daughter Elizabeth. She took two of her stepsons to university in Leyden and fulfilled many business and political errands enjoined upon her by her husband and Sarah Churchill. Detailed journals by herself and her stepdaughter exist of this visit. She ‘spent as much time, as she could get to her self, in Writing upon Divine, and Moral Subjects’ (A Method of Devotion, p. xv). Her only published work was A Method of Devotion, or Rules for Holy and Devout Living (1708) first composed in her early twenties. Among her manuscripts in the Bodleian Library is the undated ‘A Dialogue on Marriage’ (MS Rawl D. 1092 ff.157-203) of which only the second quire is preserved. It takes the form of a dialogue between friends in which such topics are discussed as the legalities of marriage, the power of the parents, the entertaining of friends and the furnishing of houses. It includes some satire on contemporary manners. She died on May 29th 1707. See The Correspondence of John Locke ed. E. S. De Beer, 8 vols (Oxford: Clarendon, 1976-1989,; and ‘Some Account of Her Life’ in A Method of Devotion (1709) dictated by her husband to the Archdeacon of Oxford.

Bodleian Library: MS Rawl. D 1092 ff. 136r-156v
Book of spiritual memoranda ( 1701-1709)
Elizabeth Burnet (Author)

Mary (Sir Richard's second daughter) married Robert Dormer one of the judges of the Common Pleas. (Source: A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England, Ireland and Scotland by John Burke and Sir John Bernard Burke - 1844, J.R. Smith (603 pages))

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 8Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/374/96
Testator: Sir Richard Blake, Knight
Place: St John, Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 29 Jun 1683, probated 19 Oct 1683
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing elaborate but legible, smudged but legible

[Margin]: Sir Rich[ard] Blake

1    In the name of God Amen I S[i]r Richard
2    Blake of St Johns in the countie of Midd[lese]x Knight being weake of bodie but in sound and disposeing
3    minde and memorie praised bee God therefore revokeing all former wills legacies and bequests
4    by mee made and given doe make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and
5    forme following that is to Say First and principally I, commend, my Soule, into the hands of Almighty
6    God my Creator and of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer hopeing and stedfastlie
7    beleeving through the meritts death and passion of my said Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
8    to obtaine free pardon and forgivenesse of all my Sinnes and to Inheritt eternall life in the
9    Kingdome of Heaven with other the elect Children of God my body I comitt to the earth
10    to bee decently Interr'd in the parish Church of St Mary Savoy in the Strand in the said County of
11    midd[lese]x soe neare unto my children there as convenientlie may bee if I die neare London otherwise
12    in Spetchley Church in the county of Worcester if I die there And I appoint that One
13    hundred poundes near that somme but noe more bee expended on my funnerall And as for
14    such temporall goods lands and estate Both reall and personall as it hath pleased God to bless mee
15    with I give and dispose of the same In manner and forme following that is to say First I will and
16    appoint that all and every the debts and summes of money which I shall owe at my death to any
17    person or persons in right of conscience By specialties or otherwise howsoever bee
18    duely and truely paid by and out of and with the debts which shall bee oweing to mee and
19    and by money to bee raised out of my estate as is herein after men[t]ioned Item whereas on
20    the marriage of Elizabeth my wel[l ]beloved wife I did Secure and settle to and for her dureing
21    her life as a Joynture Three hundred pounds p[er] annum I will and appoint that the rents and
22    profitts of my greate house now divided into severall dwellings with th[e ]appurtenances in the
23    Strand aforesaid w[hi]ch I hold by lease taken about twenty yeares since of and from the
24    right Honourable the Earle of Exeter shall goe and bee imployed towards
25    satisfieing the said three hundred pounds p[er]annum And that the residue and remainder of the
26    said three hundred pounds p[er]Annum shall be hand and raised out of the profitts
27    rents and proceeds of my parsonage messuages Tenements Lands hereditaments and allother
28    my estate of Inheritance or for lives or yeares at or near Thames Ditton or Long Ditton
29    in the county of Surrey And all the rest of the rents profitt and proceeds of the said parsonage
30    messuages Tenements Lands and hereditaments at Thames Ditton or Long
31    Ditton I give and bequeath to my said wife for her life on Condi[t]ion shee Release
32    and Convey to my daughter Mary her heires and assignes the messuage or tenement
33    wherein I now dwell in St Johns aforesaid wherein I have made my said wife an estate
34    for her Life Item I give to him that shall bee Minister or Preacher at the
35    Chappell of Thames Ditton aforesaid Forty shillings and to the poore people of
36    Thames Ditton aforesaid Three pounds in mony to be distributed amongst them
37    at the direction of my Executrix herein after named and the Churchwardens and
38    Overseeres for the poore there then being Item in case I die neare London and bee
39    buried in the Savoy Church aforesaid I give to the Minister or Preacher there at the
40    time of my death Five pounds in mony hee preaching a Sermon at my Funerall But
41    if I depart this life in the County and bee Buried at Spetchley in the County of Worcester
42    aforesaid Then I give Five pounds in mony to the Minister there hee preaching
43    A Sermon at my Funerall Item I give to the poore people in the said parish of
44    St Mary Savoy being at my Death Five pounds in mony to bee distributed Amongst
45    them at the discre[t]ion of my Executrix hereinafter named and the Churchwardens and overseers
46    for the Poore there then being Item from and after my now wives death I give
47    and bequeath the aforesaid greate house with Th[e ]appurtenances in the Strand
48    aforesaid held of the afore named Earle of Exeter to my daughter Elizabeth for and
49    dureing her life (she the terme I have therein shall soe long continue) And after her
50    decease to her second sonne if shee shall have two or more sonnes or els her daughters
51    equallie or to one daughter if shee have noe more And in case Shee
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52    have no daughters or daughter and but one sonne then to him his executors and administrato[r]s
53    but in case my said daughter Elizabeth shall have noe such child or children liveing at her death
54    Then I give the said great house and premisses with th[e ]appurtenances to my daughter Mary
55    and such child or children as shee shall have and her and their executors and administrators
56    And I desire and charge my said daughter Elizabeth not do ddue any Act or thing to alter
57    the Settlement of the said greate house with the appurtenances hereby men[t]ioned or
58    made Item I give and bequeath All that my late new built brick messuage or tenement
59    in St John's in the county of Midd[lese]x late in the tenure of Sir John Thompson Baronet
60    and now of the Right Honourable the Countesse of Shaftesbury with the forecourt
61    garden Coachehouse stable and appurtenances thereunto belonging and therewith used
62    adioyneing to the Southeastside of my now dwelling house and garden there to my daughter
63    Mary and the heires of her body lawfully to be begotten And for defaulte
64    of such issue to my daughter Elizabeth and the heires of her body lawfully begotten or to bee
65    begotten and for default of such Issue to my right heires forever Item I give and
66    bequeath after my wife's death all and ev[er]y my Parsonage aforesaid and severall tithes
67    lands tenements and hereditaments at or neare Thames Ditton aforesaid and elsewhere
68    in the county of Surry and all my estate and Interest in the Same to my daughter Mary
69    and the heires of her body lawfully to bee begotten and for default of such Issue to my daughter Elizabeth and the heires of her Body and for default of such Issue to
70    my right heires forever Item I give and bequeath my aforemen[t]ioned dwelling house
71    in St John's aforesaid with the garden and appurtenances thereunto belonging and
72    therewith now used and all my estate and Interest therein to my daughter Mary
73    and the heires of her body lawfully to bee begotten and for default of such Essuets
74    my daughter Elizabeth and the heires of her bodie and for default of such Issue to
75    my right heires forever Item on Condi[t]ion my wife release and convey to my
76    daughter Mary her heires and assignes all her Interest in the messuage or tenement
77    wherein I now dwell, in St Johns aforesaid with the appurtenances I give and
78    bequeath to my wife for her life and after her decease to such of my children or
79    grandchildren as shee shall by any writing by her Signed dispose of the same All
80    that messuage or tenement by mee lately new built in Katherine streete in the
81    Strand aforesaid now in the tenure of Richard Maynwearing Buttoneller knowne
82    by the Signe of the Queeneshead with th[e ]ppurtenances and all my estate terme
83    and Interest of in and to the same Item I give and bequeath all and everie my Lease
84    and Leases terme estate and Interest w[hi]ch I have of in and to the severall messuages or
85    tenements and Shops in Katherine Streete and Exeter Streete in or near the Strand
86    aforesaid except the said messuage or tenement in the tenure of Richard Mainwearing
87    And except those messuages or tenements settled or Assigned or for onto Robert
88    Berkley Esquire and my daughter Elizabeth his wife on their marriage
89    (that is to say) the messuages or tenements in the occupa[t]ion of Mr Bartlett
90    Hims[elf] other [no name] Dunford Grocer, the Connor house [no name] House
91    [no name] Hatter [ no name] Jones Shoemaker the messuage or tenement
92    knowne by the signe of the Red Cow in the occupa[t]ion of [no name] Victualler
93    the messuage next adioyneing thereto in the occupa[t]ion of [no name] Jessop
94    Cooke the messuage or tenement in the occupa[t]ion of [no name] Wootton Joyner
95    next the last men[t]ioned messuage and the messuage next adioyneing to that knowne by
96    the signe of the Cabinett now, in the occupa[t]ion of [no name] Allen Cabinett maker
97    the shop under part of the messuage in the occupa[t]ion of Mr Bartlett aforesaid now
98    lett to a Perriwigg maker and all other any messuages or tenements and shops in
99    the said Streets (except as aforesaid) unto my said daughter Mary her executors
100    and administrators if shee live to attaine the age of one and twenty yeares or bee
101    married But if my said daughter Mary depart this life before her said Age
102    of one and twenty yeares or being married Then I give the same Lease and Leases
103    terms estates and Interests of in and to the said messuages or tenements Shops and
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104    premisses last men[t]ioned with the appurtenances to my said wife for her life and after her decease
105    to my said daughter Elizabeth and her children and for want of such Issue to my right heirs
106    and my will and minde is that my daughter Mary or those who shall enioy the said
107    messuages or tenements last men[t]ioned and bequeathed shall dureing their respective
108    enjoyments of the same pay and p[er]forme the rent and Covenants I am to pay and performe
109    for the same by virtue of the lease and leases whereby I hold the same And my further
110    will and minde is and I ordaine and appoint That for and dureing the first two yeares
111    next after my death my Executrix shall have and receive the severall rents and profitts of
112    the severall messuages houses and estates given to my said daughter Mary towards
113    satisfying my debts and my said Executrix to pay my said daughter Mary dureing the
114    said two yeares Two hundred pounds a yeare by quarterly payments by equall por[t]ions
115    The first payment thereof to bee made three moneths aftere my death Item I
116    give and bequeath all and every my Lease and Leases terme estate and Interest w[hi]ch I
117    have of me and to the messuage tenement or Inne called or knowne by the signe
118    of the Blackhorse scituate in or neare Bow streete in Covent Garden in the said
119    county of Midd[lese]x now in the tenure of Leonard Cunditt with the Stable Coachhouse
120    yard and Appurtenances therewith esed and thereunto belonging and all other the stables
121    and Coachhouses there and the messuage or tenement there next the said Inne by mee
122    lately now built now in the tenure of [no name] Dyer with their and ev[er]y of their
123    appurtenances to my daughter Mary for her life And after her death to her Child
124    or Children but in default of such child or children To my said daughter Elizabeth
125    and her Child or Children And for default of such Child or Children to my said
126    wife (if shee shall bee then liveing) for her life And after her decease to my right
127    heirs Item I give and bequeath the rents and proceed of the other messuage or tenem[en]t
128    neare the Inne aforesaid in Bowstreete aforesaid now in the tenure of Anthony Deias
129    Merchant for too yeares next after my death to my Executrix towards satisfieing
130    my debts. And after the said two yeares I give the said messuage or tenement w[i]th
131    the appurtenances and my estate and Interest therein to my daughter Elizabeth
132    for her life and after her decease to her child or children and in default of such
133    child or children to my said daughter Mary and her child or children and for
134    default of such such or children to my said wife (if shee shal[l ]be then liveing) for her
135    life and after her decease to my right heires Item I give and bequeath to my
136    forenamed Sonne in law Robert Berkley Esq[ui]re twenty pounds for mourning
137    and a remembrance Item I give and bequeath to Richard Blake sonne of my
138    nephew Thomas Blake deceased Tenn pounds in mony to be paid him within
139    three yeares next after my decease at my Executrix's discretion Item I give to
140    my nephew Arthur Blake sonne of my late brother Arthur Blake Tenne
141    pounds (if hee shall live a yeare after my decease) to bee then paid him Item I give
142    and bequeath unto my brothers Mr Francis Blake and Mr William Blake Tenn
143    pounds a peece for mourning at my funerall Item I give to my Cousen Martha Deakins
144    daughter of my brother Thomas Blake Five pounds in mony Item I give unto Nathanell
145    Hudson Five pounds in mony for a remembrance and in respect of his paines to be taken in
146    and about this my will The remainder rest and residue of all and every my goods chattells
147    mony plate and estate whatsoever herein before not bequeathed or disposed of I give unto my
148    said loveing wife and my daughter Mary equally And I earnestly desire my said
149    daughter Mary to continue dutyfull to her mother and not dispose of her life in marriage
150    without her consent and approba[t]ions And I make ordaine and appoint the said Elizabeth
151    my wife the full and sole Executrix of this my last will desireing her to p[er]forme the same according
152    to my minde and meaning herein expressed And I desire the said Nathaniell Hudson
153    to bee Overseer of this my will and to assist my Executrix in the p[er]formance thereof the best hee
154    can In witnesse whereof I the said Sir Richard Blake to this my last will and testam[en]t
155    (written in Six Sheetes of paper joyned together and sealed at the topp) have sett my hand
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156    and Seale dated the nine and twentieth day of June Anno D[om]ini one thousand six hundred
157    eighty three And in the Five and thirtieth yeare of the reigne of our Sov[er]eigne Lord
158    Charles the second by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland
159    defender of the Faith etc Rich: Blake [signed] Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Sir Richard
160    Blake Knight the Testator for and as his last will the day of the date in the presence of
161    us Richard Wiseman Mary Barns Natha: Hudson Sir Stephen Locker
162    his servant The witnesses writt their names in the Testators p[re]sence

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