Sunday, December 2, 2012

Will of Elizabeth Blake widow of Rederith Surrey - The National Archives PROB 11/234/255, probated 11 Sep 1654

Always interesting when two wills fit together. The testator Elizabeth Blake is the wife of Peter Blake who was uncle to James and John Blake named in the will of their father John Blake mariner brother to Peter:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-john-blake-mariner-redderith.html

This earlier will was probated in 1636 so 18 years earlier and we can see that both of the sons of John have survived and each have four children still living. The children of John being namely Peter, James, Margaret and Anne and the children of James being namely John, James, Margerie and Margaret. One is left to surmise that Peter and Elizabeth did not have any children or at least none surviving to this date. Elizabeth says that she is aged and certainly John the Mariner in the earlier will was already a grandfather in 1638 so possibly over 40 years of age or more and his brother Peter would have been the same at that time likely. Elizabeth is likely close to 60 years or more at the time of her writing in 1651/52. Again I have used double dating just to ensure that the timing of the will is readily understood by readers.

Peter Blake does not leave a will that is probated at Westminster or at PCC.

Moving on to the wills of Sussex for Blake family members and again just one will and it was the second earliest found there in the PCC. Will of John Blake of Yeoman of Slindon, Sussex and probated 23 May 1579. The earliest will at the PCC for a Blake in Sussex was by John Blake of Beryghelmenston, Sussex probated 3 Jul 1487. At some point I need to acquire this will. I suspect this is Brighthelmstone Sussex now known as Brighton, Sussex. Who was this early Blake member living in present day Brighton in the mid 1400s? As I continue my search backwards into the Blake family and its origins there is always new information that provides yet many more details on this ancient family of the British Isles. Brighton of course is in East Sussex near the border with West Sussex but the distance from Hampshire is not great being the county on the other side of West Sussex.

The newest member of the Blake yDNA study matches exactly on 12 markers to the individual that matches my paternal line 8/12. Since our markers are so far out and the latest discussion on I2a2b indicates that this particular haplogroup split thousands of years ago with one section going into northern England and the other into southern England. But our markers are so distinct that I continue to place all three of us into the grouping "British Isles" since our roots likely extend back into the mists that were first seen by the Romans as they crossed the Channel to England centuries ago. It is somewhat appealing to think that my Blake ancestors were there already on the shores of England watching as the grandeur of Rome came to the British Isles.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded:  1 Dec 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/234/255
Testator: Elizabeth Blake, widow
Place: Rederith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 12 Mar 1651/52, probated 11 Sep 1654
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing fine, good contrast copy

[Margin] Elizab: Blake

1    In the name of God Amen The
2    twelveth Day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six
3    hundred fifty and one I Elizabeth Blake of the parish of Rederith in the
4    County of Surrey Widdowe being at this present sicke and weake in Body But
5    I humbly thanke God in good and perfect Mind and Memory And not knowing
6    how soone and sudden my departure may be out of this transitory world by
7    Reason of my Age therefore now while God hath lent mee time and space
8    that I may dispose of my Estate and worldly meanes which hee hath lent mee
9    for avoyding all suites and contention about the same w[hi]ch may arise after my
10    decease doe therefore make and declare this my last Will and testament in
11    manner and forme following that is to say First and principally I give be-
12    queath and Comend my soule after the dissolu[t]ion thereof from thro' my sin-
13    full and fraile Body into the mercifull hands and protection of the holy and
14    blessed Trinity hoping and assuredly trusting by and through the Deathe payn-
15    full Passion and Resurrection of the second person in the same Trinity namely
16    Jesus Christ and by none other nor other meanes to obteine free pardon and
17    Remission of and for all my sinns together w[i]th the fruition of his heavenlye
18    kingdome whereunto I beseech him to (to) bring mee for his mercies sake my
19    body I Comitt to the Earthe from whence it Came where I will shal[l ]be decentlye
20    buried in the parish Church of Rederith aforesaid and neare as conveniently
21    may be to the Body of my late deceased husband Peter Blake Inprimis
22    I give unto the poore of the parish of Rederith forty shillings of lawfull
23    money of England to be distributed at the discretion of my Executor and
24    Overseers
    [Page 2]
25    Overseers hereafter named Item I give unto Mr Thomas Gattacker our Minister
26    if he be living at the time of my decease twenty shillings and for the same I
27    desire him to preach my funerall Sermon Item I give unto my Cozen John
28    Blake forty shillings to buy him a Ring Item I give unto my Cozen James
29    Blake other forty shillings to buy him a Ring to weare for a Remembrance
30    Item I give unto my said Cozen John Blake his foure children namely
31    Peter James Margaret and Anne Blake forty shillings a peece Item I
32    give unto my sayd Cozen James Blake his foure children namely John
33    James Margarie and Margaret Blake to every of them forty shillings a-
34    peece Item I give to my two Nephews Beniamin and Mary Baincroft
35    the children of my cozen Beniamin Baincroft three pounds a peece to
36    buy either of them a peece of plate to keepe for a Remembrance Item I
37    give unto Margaret Kilbury formerly my maid servant twenty shillings
38    for a Remembrance I give unto Elizabeth Barter the daughter of Beniamine
39    Barter my maid servant the summe of three pounds Item I give unto my
40    good freind Maudlyn Needs widdowe the summe of twenty shillings Item
41    I give unto my cozen George Baincroft the summe of forty shillings to
42    buy him a Ring to weare for a Remembrance Item I give unto my cozen
43    Ralph Holmes the like summe of forty shillings to buy him a Ring to weare
44    for a Remembrance All the aforesaid Legacies by mee given and bequeathed
45    I will to be payed by my Executor thereafter named within one yeare next
46    after my decease And that the Acquittance of every Legatee which shal[l ]be
47    within Age of twenty and one yeares shal[l ]be a sufficient discharge and for
48    my Executor for theire severall Legacies upon the Receipt and payment thereof
49    The Rest and Residue of my goods and Chattles plate Ready money and
50    debts whatsoever unbequeathed and w[hi]ch shall remaine after all Legacies in
51    and by this my will bequeathed shal[l ]be fully paied and discharged I give
52    and bequeathe unto my kinsman Beniamine Baincroft of Rederith afores[ai]d
53    Cordwainer and to Mary his wife my kinswoman whome I make ordeine
54    and appoint full and sole Executors of this my last will and testam[en]t
55    desiring them truly to performe the same in all things according to my trust
56    in them reposed And I make and appoint my good freinds Thomas
57    Waren and John Caterall Overseers of the same desiring them to be ayding
58    and assisting to my said Executors in and about the execu[t]ion thereof and
59    to see this my will in all things performed according to my true Intent and
60    meaning herein before playnely sett forthe and declared And for theire paines
61    I give unto my sayd Overseers Rings of Gould worth forty shillings a peece
62    at the least to weare for a Remembrance And soe I end my present testam[en]t
63    And doe hereby revoke all other Wills by mee formerly made And doe
64    publish and declare this and none other to be and soe to stand for my last
65    Will and Testament beseeching the high incomprehensible Creator of all
66    things to have mercy upon mee And in my end (and in the end of all things
67    to comfort mee In witnesse that this is my true mind and Will I have
68    caused the same to be faire written in this paper Booke conteyning in all
69    w[i]th this last leafe five sheetes of paper all written upon one side and to e-
70    very sheete or leafe I have subscribed my marke with my owne hand and sett
71    my seale being fixed at a peece of blew tape drawne through the toppe
72    of this Booke the day and yeare first above written The parties hereafter
73    being witnesses which by mee were specially called hereunto The marke
74    of
    [Page 3]
75    of Elizabeth Blake Sealed Subscribed published and delivered by the sayd
76    Elizabeth Blake the sayd twelveth Day of March ibed for her last Will and
77    Testament in the presence of us Henry Overton John Webb and of mee
78    Tho: Waren Scr:
79    This Will was proved at Westminster the eleaventh Day of September
80    in the yeare of our Lord God according to the Corpora[t]ion of the Churche of
81    England one thousand six hundred fifty foure before the Judges for
82    Probate of Wills and granting Administra[t]ions lawfully authorized by the
83    oathe of Beniamine Baincroft one of the Executors named in the said Will to
84    whome the administra[t]ion was comitted of all and singuler the Goods Chattles
85    and Debts of the said deceased hee the sayd Beniamine Baincroft being
86    first sworne truly to administer the same power being reserved for Mary
87    Bayncroft wife of the sayd Benjamine to make like propate thereof when
88    shee shall in due forme of lawe require the same

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