Will of Francis Buller of Shillingham - The National Archives PROB 11/445/264, probated 23 May 1698

The Francis-4 Buller will was a puzzle initially because I had a first page that didn't match the rest of the will. Working through the Visitation I realized that I was actually missing one of the Francis wills and at that time I also numbered the Frauncis Buller will as Francis-1 and it will be forthcoming after this one. I discovered the missing Francis Buller will in Cambridgeshire at Isleham. This was the will of the Father of  Francis-3. He outlived his son Francis-3 and his grandson Francis-4 (this testator) died just four years after his grandfather.

This set of five wills is giving me a complete picture of this family and I can eliminate all the sons in this family that did not survive to adulthood and the ones who did did not marry and leave heirs since the property passed to a brother of Francis-5 which will be the will I am downloading. Negative results are often as good as Positive results!

Francis-4 leaves the bulk of his property to his brother James who did not marry. I also have the will of James.

The next will is by Francis-1 and this is the will of Francis Buller who died in 1615 and he was also of Tregarrick and Shillingham and was married to Thomasine Williams. His son Francis (married to Sybill Nicholls) was Francis-2. Sir Richard Buller of Shillingham was the heir of Francis-1.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 30 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/445/264
Testator: Francis Buller
Place: Shillingham, Cornwall, England
Date of document: 26 Jan 1697, probated 23 May 1698
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Franci[s]
[Margin]: Buller
[Margin]: ar
[Header]: This is the last will and Testament
[Header]: of me Francis Buller of Shillingham in the County of
[Header]: Cornwall Esq[uie]r

1    I give unto Sir Rushout
2    Cullen of Upton in the County of Warwick Barr[one]t
3    and unto John Buller of Morvall in the County of Cornwall Esq[uie]r
4    the sum[m]e of six hundred pounds To be paid them within six months
5    after my death Upon the trusts herein after mentioned that is to say
6    upon trust that they the said Sir Rushout Cullen and John Buller Esq[uie]r
7    and the Survivor of them and his Executors and Administrators shall
8    from time to time dureing the life of my sister Katherine Carent put
9    the said sum[m]e out upon interest To such person or persons and upon
10    such Securities as they and the Survivor of them and his Executors or
11    Administrators (haveing the assent of my said sister verifyed under
12    her hand) shall thinke fitt And that they my said Trustees shall dispose
13    of all the interest and product thereof as the same can be made and
14    received unto my said sister dureing her life To her sole and
15    separate use and disposall exclusive of her present and of any and
16    every hereafter taken husband And upon this farther trust that
17    in case my said sister shall leave any child or children at the time
18    of her death That then my said Trustees shall as soone as they
19    shall have a convenient opportunity by and with the approba[t]ion and
20    consent of my brother James Buller lay out the said sum[m]e of six
21    hundred pounds in the purchase of Lands or other hereditaments
22    which said Lands or other hereditaments when purchased I hereby
23    direct shall be settled To the use of such child or children of my said
25    sister and of the heyres of such child or children's body and bodyes
26    the remainder thereof unto my said brother James and his heyres
    [Page 2]
27    for ever to the use of him and his heyres But in case my
28    said sister shall happen to dye leaving noe child or children then
29    my will is that my said Trustees shall pay the said sum[m]e of Six hundred
30    pounds unto my said brother James his Executors or Adm[instrator]s
31    or Assignes the securityes which my said Trustees shall then have for
32    the said summe in case it be then out at interest Provided alwayes
33    and it is my true intent and meaning that my said Trustees nor
34    either of them nor the Executors or Administrators of either of them
35    shall be charged with or lyable to any loss that may happen of the
36    said sum[m]e or any parte thereof nor be compelled to answer for
37    any more thereof then shall come to theire respective hands And
38    also that they may out of the said summe of Six hundred pounds or the
39    interest thereof satisfye and reimburse unto him or themselves all
40    such charges damages and loses as they shall sustaine or be putt
41    unto in or about the performance of the trust herein and hereby as
42    reposed in them and that they shall be allowed the same out of
43    the same sum[m]me wherewith they are hereby intrusted Item I give
44    unto my sister Jane Adams the sum[m]e of One hundred pounds and
45    unto my sister Mary Cullen Fifty pounds unto my Aunt Margarett
46    Williams I give Fifty pounds and the like sum[m]e unto my Aunt
47    Sarah Harle To my Friend Salwey Wilington Esq[uir]e I give One
48    hundred pounds To my servant George Baily I give tenn pounds
49    To my servant John Hibbley I give tenn pounds To my Coachman
50    Joseph Morse Five pounds and unto my boy Thomas Robins
51    I give tenn pounds to binde him out an Apprentice to some trade
52    all other my goods chattells arrears of rent dues personall and
53    Testamentary estates interests whether in Lawe or Equity whether
54    in possession or action or of what nature and kinde soever the
55    same be I give and bequeath unto my said brother James
56    Buller whome I constitute sole Executor of this my last Will
57    and Testament Injoyning him to pay all my just debts and legacies
58    and also to make good all such leases as have bin sealed by me
59    since my comeing of age In Testimony that this is my last Will
60    and Testament I have hereunto this six and Twentieth day of
61    January 1697 sett my hand and seale Fran: Buller. Signed, sealed
62    declared and publisht by Francis Buller Esq[uie]r to be his last Will
63    and Testament the Six and Twentieth day of January 1697 in
64    presence of Fr: Pengelly Wm Asheindon George Bailly

Will of Francis Buller of Tregarricke - The National Archives PROB 11/360/150, probated 8 Jul 1679

Francis Buller (testator) is my Francis-3 will and is the grandson of Sir Richard Buller (son of his son Francis) and one of the nephews named in the will of his uncle Francis Buller of Tregarricke. His father Francis is still living in 1678 according to the Visitation.

He names his father Francis Buller senior, Sir James Rushout, Sir Walter Moyle and John Herle as his executors. The two Codicils appended over the year after the original will is written are telling. At this time he has married a second time Mary Maynard (not yet twenty years of age)  His first wife was the daughter of Sir James Rushout of Maynard's Green in Essex. By her he had the following children : Francis (eldest son), James (second eldest), Charles (third son not mentioned in his father's will), Catherine, Jane and Mary. Francis (the testator) according to the Visitation of Cornwall was baptized 16 July 1651 at St Stephen's by Saltash and thus was 27 years old when he wrote his will 5 Apr 1678 and 28 years of age when his will was probated 8 Jul 1679. James is known to have not married and Charles must not have either as the estates of Francis Buller (testator) passed to the Morval branch of the Buller family (John Buller of Morval being a brother to Francis Buller of Shillingham (father of the testator).  This will was difficult to transcribe hence the many blanks. Eventually I will go back and try to fill them in but for the moment the gist of the will is there and I shall move on to the next one.

British History online helps to solve the language in this will and the following is pertinent as one works through the marriages (generally second  marriages as land is concentrated into a family line):

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18928
Before his death in 1655 Sir John Maynard (fn. 96) in 1652 settled his Isleham estate on the marriage of his only son John, kt. 1660, (d. c. 1664), to Katherine Rushout. (fn. 97) In 1666 the widowed Dame Katherine Maynard was allotted c. 950 a. of fenland for the manorial rights in the waste. (fn. 98) Later that year, carefully reserving to her sole use the income of the Isleham estate, (fn. 99) whose lordships she retained formally until her death in 1694, (fn. 1) she married the Presbyterian politician Francis Buller (d. 1682), of Shillingham (Cornw.). Following his forfeiture in 1666 he took refuge with her. (fn. 2) By 1676 Dame Katherine had married her daughter Mary, the Maynard heiress, to Buller's eldest son Francis and settled the estate on them. (fn. 3) The younger Francis died, 1678–9. (fn. 4) Mary was successively remarried in 1682 to William Adams (d. s.p. by 1684) (fn. 5) and in 1686 to her mother's nephew, Sir Rushout Cullen, Bt. (fn. 6) Mary died in 1694, shortly before her mother with whom she dwelt at the Hall. (fn. 7) Sir Rushout retained the Isleham estate thenceforth until he died without issue in 1730. (fn. 8) The estate, whose reversion had been settled upon Mary's children by Francis Buller the younger, (fn. 9) two sons, both dead without issue by 1710, (fn. 10) next passed to John Francis Buller of Morval (Cornw.), grandson of John Buller (d. 1716), their father's uncle and heir-at-law. (fn. 11)

John Francis Buller, lord of Isleham from 1730 until his death in 1751, (fn. 12) was succeeded there in turn by his son James (d. 1765) (fn. 13) and by James's son John (d. 1793). That John's son John (fn. 14) offered the Isleham estate for sale in 1800. (fn. 15)


The value to me in doing these wills is determining that there were no other descendants of this family that could be the ancestors of my Christopher Buller in St Olave Southwark or St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey. All properties from this line descended to John Francis Buller of Morval and this line is well documented down into the time frame that I am looking at. Since I have Christopher's possible birth date of 1763 to use now that I have his death registration that has improved my chances of finding his parents.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/360/150
Testator: Francis Buller
Place: Tregarricke, Cornwall, England
Date of document: 15 Apr 1678, probated 8 Jul 1679
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Francise
[Margin]: Buller

1    In the name of God Amen
2    The Fifteenth day of Aprill, in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand
3    Six hundred Seaventy and Eight I Francis Buller of Shillingham
4    in the County of Cornwall Esquier being (Blessed be God) of perfect
5    mind and memory and desirous to make some settlement of my
6    Personall Estate doe make my last will and Testament as followith First
7    I humbly recom[m]end my soule to the mercye of my Creatour and my Redeemer
8    And my Body to be buried privatly and decently as my Executor herein after
9    named shall direct And whereas I the said Francis Buller am possessed
10    of or interested in the Tythings lease and Mannor of St Stephens with
11    the appurtenances scituate lying and being in the parish of St Stephan by
12    Saltash in the County of Cornwall aforesaid for the now remainder of a
13    certaine terme of one and Twenty yeares by lease from the Deane and Chapter
14    of Windsor I doe heriby give and bequeath All my said Estate and Terme
15    of years in the said lease of St Stephens unto my Executors herein after
16    named In Trust that my said Executors and the Survivors of them and the
17    Executors and Administrators of such Survivor shall stand and be possessed
18    of the Lease aforisaid and of the Tythingslease and Mannor aforesaid for
19    the Remainder of the said Terme of one and Twenty years In Trust to and
20    for the sole benefitt of every person and persons respectively who shall be
21    seized of the Freehold of all other my Lordshipps, Manors, Lands Tenements
22    and hereditaments in the said County of Cornwall by force of one Indenture
23    bearing date the Twentieth day of September one Thousand Six hundred Seaventy
25    and Six in the Twenty seaventh yeare of the Reign of the King that now is made
26    betweene me the said Francis Buller of the one part Sir James Rushout of
27    Maynard's Green in the County of Essex Baronet Sir Walter Moyle of Bake
28    in the said County of Cornwall Knight and John Herle of the Middle Temple
29    London Esquier of the other parte Alsoe whereas their is now due to mee
30    Five Thousand pounds of lawfull money of England in right of my wife Mary
31    daughter of Sir John Maynard Late of Tooting Graveney in the County of Surrey
32    knight
    [Page 2]
33    Knight By force of one Indenture Tripartite made or intended to be
34    made the Two and Twentieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord Bless one
35    Thousand Six hundred Fifty and Two Betweene Sir John Maynard of Tooting
36    Graveney in the County of Surrey Knight of the honourable order of the Bath
37    and Dame Mary his wife And Charles Maynard of Walthamstow in the County
38    of Essex Esquier Brother of the said Sir John Maynard of the First part And
39    the said Sir John Maynard by the name of John Maynard of Tooting Graveney
40    aforesaid Esquire onely sonne and heir apparent of the said Sir John Maynard
41    and Dame Mary and Katherin Rushout Second daughter of John Rushout of
42    London Merchant of the Second part And the said John Rushout Sir Abraham
43    Cullen by the name of Aberham Cullen the younger of London merchant and
44    and Sir John Lawrence by the name of John Lawrence the younger of London
45    Merchant and John Pascoe the younger alsoe of London Merchant of the
46    third part Now I give and bequeath the said Five Thousand pounds soe
47    due as aforesaid unto my Second son James Buller To be paid to him at such
48    time as he shall attaine the age of one and Twenty And in case he shall dye
49    before such age attained Then I give the said Five Thousand pounds unto
50    my Eldest sonne Francis Buller And if he alsoe happen to dye before he
51    attaine the age of one and Twenty yeares Then I give the said Five Thousand
52    pounds To any other Eldest sone that shall survive my second sonne James
53    and attaine the age of one and Twenty And in case all my sons shall happen
54    to dye before they or any of them attaine the age of one and Twenty as aforesaid
55    Then I give and bequeath the said Five Thousand pounds unto any eldest
56    daughter which shall survive her brothers The said Five Thousand pounds
57    to be paid to such Eldest daughter att her day of Marriage or age of one and
58    Twenty which shall first happen And in case all my sons shall happen to
59    dye before such age of one and Twenty attained as aforesaid And in case any
60    daughters alsoe dye before marriage or the age of Twenty one attained aforesaid
61    Then I give and bequeath the said Five Thousand pounds to my wife I alsoe
62    give and bequeath unto my said wife Two hundred pounds for mourning
63    And all the furniture and plate belonging to her Chamber I alsoe give her
64    The Choyce of as much of my other Plate as shall amount to the value of Fifty
65    pounds and my Coach and Coach horses Item I give unto the Lady
66    Maynard Twenty pounds for mourning Item I give unto my brother Richard
67    Fifty pounds Item I give to my sister Margaritt Fifty pounds Item I give
68    to my Brother John Fifty pounds Item I give to my sister Sarah Fifty
69    pounds Item I give to Mr Roger Peachey Tenn pounds Item I give unto my
70    faithfull servant John Wipple Thirty pounds Item I give to the poore of the
71    parish of St Stephens in Cornwall aforesaid Five pounds Item I give
72    to the poore of the parish of Isleham Five pounds And whereas by Indenture
73    dated the Twentieth day of September one Thousand Six Hundred Seaventy and
74    Six I have conveyed the Lordship of Street Marshall with the Appurtenances
75    in the County of Mountgomery and Dominion of Essex to the said Sir James
76    Rushout Sir Walter Moyle and John Herle in Trust to be sold for the payment
77    of all my Just debts Now I desire The said Lordship may be sold with all conve-
78    nient speed And that my Trustees and Executor would in the meane time out
79    of my personall Estate first pay and satisfie such Creditors as have now reall
80    security And that such this Creditors as have Mortgages may have their interest
81    duly and faithfully paid till Land bee sold and the principall discharged It is alsoe
82    my will and desire That the First Five hundred pounds which shall be raised
83    out of my Estate for debts and Legacies and my brothers and sisters portions
84    are paid should be employed by my Trustees for the Redemption of Christian
85    Captives
    [Page 3]
86    Captives Alsoe I give unto my Executor here after named Thirty peices
87    of Gold to each of them All the residue of my personall Estate not before
88    disposed I doe hereby give and bequeath unto my said Executors in Trust that
89    of such survivor shall pay dispose convey and assign All the residue of my
90    said personall Estate not before disposed unto such person and persons respec-
91    tively to whome my said Manors Lands Tenements and hereditaments in the said
92    County of Cornwall shall descend and come according to and by vertue of the
93    limitted intent in the First recited Indenture contayned And Lastly I doe
94    hereby Constitute and appoint Francis Buller Esquier my Father Sir James Rushout
95    Sir Walt: Moyle and John Herle aforesaid To be Executors of this my last will
96    and Testament in Trust as aforesaid and upon speciall confidence That they will
97    performe the trust hereby in them reposed In witnes whereof I have hereunto
98    sett my hand and seale the Fifteenth day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord
99    Christ One Thousand Six hundred Seventy and Eight Fs: Buller Signed
100    Sealed published and declared to be the last will and testament of Francis Buller
101    Esquier in presence of William Wyborough Will: Faulk Joan Wetherley
102    Jo[h]n Hill
103    Whereas I Francis Buller the younger of Shillingham in the County
104    of Cornwall Esquier in and by my last will and Testament in writing bearing
105    date on or about the Fifteenth day of Aprill one Thousand Six hundred Seventy
    and Eight
106    and Eight Did amongst other things devise unto my sonne James Buller and the
107    other persons after his decease therein mentioned in such manner as is therein
108    expressed The summes of Five Thousand pounds out of my wives Estate in such
109    manner as is therein mentioned and lymitted I doe nevertheless hereby
110    Expressly declare my will mind and meaning to be That if my said wife shall
111    within Three moneths after she shall attain being of one and Twenty yeares
112    By will and other good and sufficient conveyance and assurance in the Lawe
113    grant convey settle and assure unto and upon Francis Buller my Eldest sonne
114    and the heires males of his body the Mannor or Lordship of Islehame cum
115    Bernard And all other the Mannors Messuages Lands Tenements and heredita
116    ments whatsoever late of Sir John Maynard and now of my said dear wife
117    in Isleham or elsewhere in the County of Cambridge and in the County of Suffolk
118    And all and singular the messuages Lands Tenements Farmes and hereditaments
119    to the said Mannor and premisses belonging or in any wise appertayning or
120    to or with the same or any part of parcell thereof devised used leased
121    occupied or enjoyed or accepted reputed to be or known as part parcell or
122    member thereof or the Mannor or Lordshipp Capitall Messuage lands ten-
123    ements and hereditaments whatsoever late of the sayd Sir John Maynard and now
124    of her my said deare wife in Tooting Graveney or elsewhere in the County of
125    Surrey And all and singuler the messuages lands Tenements Farmes and
126    hereditaments to the said mannor and premisses belonging or in any wise
127    appertayning or to or with the same or any part or parcell thereof devised
128    used leased occupied as enjoyed as accepted reputed to bee or known as part
129    parcell or number thereof And for default of such issue if my said wife shall
130    in like manner settle and assure the aforesaid Mannor or Lordshipp of Isleham
131    cum Bernard with its rights, members and appurten[an]ces and all other the premisses
132    aforesaid in the Counties of Cambridge and Suffolk or else the Mannor of
133    Tooting Graveney with its Rights members and appurten[an]ces and all other the
134    premisses aforesaid in the said County of Surrey unto and upon James Buller
135    my second sonne and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue
136    in
    [Page 4]
137    In case my said wife shall be Enseint as with child of mine att the time
138    of my decease which afterwards be borne Then if she my said wife shall
139    in like manner settle and assure the aforesaid mannors or Lordshipp of
140    Isleham cum Bernard profitts rights members and appurtenances and all other
141    the premisses aforesaid in the Countys of Cambridge and Suffolk or else the
142    the Mannor of Tooting Graveney with its Rights members and appurtenances said
143    or other the premisses aforesaid in the said County of Surrey to and upon such
144    a newborn sonne and the heires males of his body according both ____
145    and _____ hereof in manner herein before expressed That then and from
146    thenceforth from and after such settlement duly made as aforesaid The said
147    devise and Legacie of Five Thousand pounds given to my said sonne James and
148    the other persons mentioned in my said will shall cease determing and be utterly
149    void anything in my said said will contained to the contrary ______ standing
150    And I doe nevertheless hereby further expresse and desire my will and meaning
151    to be clear my said sonne James Buller shall have and receive the summe of Two
152    Thousand pounds out of my Reall and personall Estate In case such settlement
153    shall be duly made as aforesaid and not otherwise To be paid unto him by my
154    Executor in Trust mentioned in the said will when and ____ as he shall attain
155    the age of one and Twenty years And I doe hereby declare That my said Estate
156    shall be charged and chargeable there with and subject to the payment thereof
157    And in Case my said sonne James shall happen to dye before he attaine his said
158    age of one and Twenty yeares Then this devise to be void And I doe further
159    declare that these presents shall be a Codicill of my last will and Testament
160    and it now shall be taken as part thereof And that all giuft devises legacies and
   
161    bequests in my said will by me devised and bequeathed shall stand in full force
162    according to the true intent and meaning thereof (the said Legacie and bequest
163    of Five Thousand pounds therein given to my said sonne James and the other
164    persons as aforesaid therein named onely excepted) And I doe hereby further give
165    devise and bequeath unto all and every of my servants that attend me in the
166    present suffers or shall attend me att the time of my decease a full years pays
167    which I do hereby declare and it is my full intent and meaning That it shall be
168    paid to them and every of them by my Executors in Trust mentioned in my
169    will In witnes whereof I have hereunto put my  hand and seale this First
170    day of May in the yeare of our Lord Christ one Thousand Six hundred and
171    Seaventy and Eight And whereas by my marriage with my wife Mary
172    Buller the sole daughter and heire of Sir John Maynard of Tooting Graveney
173    deceased There was att my marriage with my said wife Mary Buller due
174    unto me the summe of Five Thousand pounds for her Marriage portion which
175    was settled upon her by her Grandfather and Father Now I  declare it to be
176    my will That in case my said wife shall happen to dye before she be of the
177    Age of one and Twenty years or after she shall happen to be of the age of one
178    and Twenty And that the children she hath or shall have by me shall happen
179    to dye before they either or any of them be of the age of one and Twenty or that
180    it shall happen my wife shall have noe Children by any other husband or
181    husbands That shall live to be of the Age of one and Twenty years That then
182    in such case onely It is my will That the said summ of Five Thousand pounds
183    due to me for my wifes said portion after her death at the decease of the Children
184    That she now hath or may have at any time during her life by me or any
185    other husband or husbands as aforesaid dyeing before they come to be of the age of
186    One and Twenty years without issue shall be paid to such person and persons as
187    shall severally and respectively be entitled unto the Freehold and ______
188    of my Lordshipps mannors Bartons Farmes and Demesne with their and every
189    of
    [Page 5]
190    of their Rights members and appurtenances being in the Kingdome of England
191    By vertue of any Deed or Deeds made by me the said Francis Buller as by vertue of
192    my last will and Testament made by me the said Francis Buller bearing date of
193    or about the Fifteenth day of Aprill one Thousand Six hundred Seventy and
194    Eight And whereas the Terme Interest and Estate of my Father in ____
195    mannors and lands in Isleham and else where in the County of Cambridge and
196    Suffolke or one of them hath by one or  more assignement or assignements thereof
197    made and executed borne sett over and transferred to me as to  some person
198    or persons in Trust for me I doe hereby declare my mind and will to be that
199    the said mannors and lands in the said Countyes of Cambridge and Suffolk
200    shall not go to my Executor or be lyable to any Trust or Trusts in my will
201    But that the same shall be held and enjoyed by my Father and such person and
202    persons as would have stood entitled to the same if such Assignment or
203    Assignments and not _____ ___ And I doe further declare that these
204    presents shall be a Codicell of my last will and Testament and is and shall
205    be taken as part thereof In witnes whereof I have hereunto put my hand
206    and seale this First day of May in the yeare of our Lord Christ one Thousand Six
207    hundred Seaventy and Eight Fs: Buller Sealed published and declared
208    by the said Francis Buller the younger as a Codicell of his last will and Testa-
209    ment in the present of John Herle Tho: Percival Joan Wetherley

Muster Rolls, Protection and Garrison database

Barrie Blake brought to my attention the following site

http://www.icmacentre.ac.uk/soldier/database/index.php

which is a project by the University of Southampton and the University of Reading to make available  three searchable databases on their project looking at: The Soldier in later Medieval England.

The Muster Roll database has 72 entries in total for Blake and Blak. The time period is as early as 1371 and as late as 1443. I have not done any further work yet on the data other than collecting it. It does tell the unit in which they served, their rank and their assignments.

The Protection database has six Blake and Blake entries in total and is for the years 1380 to 1398.

The Normandy Garrison database has 59 entries Blake and Blak and is for the years 1422 to 1444.

This is at a quick cursory glance and I hope to look at these records and the Patent Rolls to see if there is any overlap in information. There is some discussion about using the Poll Tax records to identify the archers and I will look into that. One of my projects is to extract the Blake/Blak/Blague names from Poll tax records as I have managed to collect/acquire a number of the fiche/electronic copies of Poll Tax.

Of note:

Citation

If you cite any material from this database, please ensure that you acknowledge its use as follows:

a. for single references:

The reference e.g. TNA E101/40/45 m.1, from the AHRC-funded database www.medievalsoldier.org, date of access.

b. where repeated use of the database is made:

Information on soldiers has been taken from from the AHRC-funded 'The Soldier in Later Medieval England Online Database', www.medievalsoldier.org, date of access.

Thank you to this group of researchers for making their database available online for searching and using in one name studies such as Blake. 

I have nearly completed proofreading the text of the entries taken from the Calendar of Patent Rolls. Barrie mentioned that I should give some sort of information on the Calendar of Patent Rolls and the following provides such a background (from the National Archives of the UK website):


http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C3626

The entries are quite diverse which you can see once I put the text file up on the Blake one name study website. The 162 pages of text includes a lot of information on many early families.

Will of Francis Buller of Tregarricke - The National Archives PROB 11/212/119, probated 27 May 1650

This next group of three Buller wills I have labeled Francis 2, Francis 3 and Francis 4. I do not know if my Christopher Buller is descendant of this line but not being able to locate him anywhere thus far I decided to read all of them and if I am reading them I might as well transcribe them as I might miss an important detail. Christopher Buller is highly respected by his peers where he is living and often asked to be an executor of wills within the family. He appears to have owned his shop on Tooley Street and supplied slops to sailors one would assume given the occupation. Slops being their clothing as it was thus referred to.

Although he married Mary Beard and they baptized all of their children at St Mary Magdalen in Bermondsey, he buried his two infant children and his first wife and had himself buried at St Olave Southwark. The Parish Registers at LMA are one of my must sees when next we are in England as the time period in which he lived are not yet online (if they exist and they appear to at LMA). He was buried in 1832 at the age of 69 giving him a likely birth year around 1763 and that is the most information that I have on his early years.

Francis Buller married Sybill Nicholls the daughter of John Nicholls of St Kew. They had five sons and two daughters who are mentioned in this will: namely, 1. Francis, 2. John, 3. Richard, 4. Peter and 5. Philip and 1. Anne (married to Hancock) and 2. Thomasine. Francis was a brother to Sir Richard Buller of Shillingham and it is his son Francis and grandson Francis that are mentioned in this will as the nephews of the testator. Francis (testator) appears on the Visitation of Cornwall in the lengthy Buller entry but only to list his family. They are not extended into the next generation. He is a possibility as an ancestor of my Buller line. As a younger son of Francis Buller and his wife Thomasine Williams of Shillingham who died 28 Sep 1616 it was his older brother Sir Richard who inherited primarily from his father.

This Buller line traces back to Ralfe Buller of Wood (Somerset) and by the third generation following his great grandson John married Alice Beauchamp the heir of her father John Beauchamp to property in Lillesdon Somerset. The line continues at Lillesdon (and the possibility that I am descendant of one of these families as there are also many lines in the earlier family as well) until the marriage of Richard Buller and Margaret Tretherslie (daughter of Thomas Tretherslie and widow of Edward Courtney). It was their son Francis Buller of Shillingham that was the father of this Francis and Sir Richard. There are so many many possibilities for one of these Buller lines to be ancestral to Christopher Buller of St Olave Southwark. Many of the lines are not traced down in the Visitation. The full test of the visitation of the county of Cornwall can be found on books.google.com:

http://books.google.ca/books/about/The_visitations_of_Cornwall.html?id=t0U7AQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y

and is downloadable from there.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 27 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/212/119
Testator: Francis Buller
Place: Tregarricke, Cornwall, England
Date of document: 22 Nov 1649, probated 27 May 1650
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T: Francis
[Margin]: Buller

1    In the name of God Amen
2    The twoe and twentieth day of November in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand
3    six hundred Forty nyne I Franncis Buller of Tregarricke in the County of Cornwall
4    Esq[uie]r haveing before me the uncertainty of my continuence in this world And knowing
5    that it is as naturall for man to dye as to be borne And desireing to sett my house in
6    order that peace may continue in my family after my decease doe in the feare of gods
7    holy name, now in the time of my perfect minde and memory make and ordaine this
8    my last will and testament in manner and forme following. First I bequeath my
9    soule into the hands of the Almighty god my creator and Redeemer hopeing assuredly
10    to receive eternall life through Jesus Christ my alone Saviour And my body to bee
11    buried in the Chancell of Pilint Church Item I give to the poore of Pelint twenty
12    shillings To the poore of Lansellos tenn shillings To the poore of St Kew tenn
13    shillings And to every poore at my buriall two pence Item I give to my Servants five
14    pounds to be distributed amongst them as my wife shall thinke fitt Item I give and
15    bequeath unto Franncis Buller my oldest sonne All those my Messuages Lands
16    tenements rents rever[s]ions services and hereditaments with th[e ]appurtenances here
17    after men[t]ioned (that is to say) All my right title terme claimes interest and demand
18    whatsoever which I have or ought to have of in and unto the Barton of Tregarricke
19    with all and singular the appurtenances to the same belonging or in any wise
20    appertaineing And also all my right title terme clayme and interest which I now
21    have and ought to have of in and unto the feilds called Gayland with the app[ur]ten[an]ces
22    And likewise all my right title terme and estate which I have yet to come of in and
23    unto the Messuage and tenement called Wilton And further I give to the said
25    Francis my sonne All these Lands and tenements with the appurtenances called
26    _anacue which I there lately purchased of Sir Peter Courtney knight with the
27    rents reversions services and hereditaments to the same belongeing or app[er]taynning
28    And also I give to the said Francis my sonne All those my Lands and tenements
29    with the appurtenances called Talvan which I there latly purchased of Robert
30    Raw gent deceased with the rents issues and proffitts thereof And also I give to my
31    said sonne Francis All those Messuages Lands tenements rents and hereditaments
32    with the appurtenances in or called Tremayne which I there lately purchased of
33    John Killiewe Esq[uir]e and John his sonne and heire with the rents reversions and services
34    thereof belonging or appertaineing All which said mentioned Lands Barton Tenements
35    and hereditaments are lyeing and being within the said parish of Pelint in the said
36    County of Cournewall And also I give to the said Francis my sonne all those my
37    Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments with the appurtenances called
38    Landeare within the parish of Dueloe which I there late purchased of Edward Calmady
39    of Wenbury in the County of Devon Esq[uir]e with the rents reversions and services to
40    them belonging And likewise I give to the said Francis my sonne all those my
41    messuages Lands Tenements Rents and hereditaments with the appurtenances called
42    Tremellicke in the parish of St Pinnocke which I there late purchased of Stephen Jay
43    deceased And my will is that Francis Buller of Shillingham Esq[uir]e and Francis
44    Buller gent his sonne My Nephewes and their heires and assignes and every of
45    them shall stand seized of and in all and singular the said Messuages Barton Lands
46    and tenements with their appurtenances respectively afore mentioned by me given to
47    the said Francis my said sonne to the use and beheese of the said Francis my sonne
48    and the heires males of his body lawfully to be begotten on the body of any woman which
49    he shall att any time hereafter marry and take to wife by and with the speciall
50    consente of the said Francis Buller of Shillingham and Francis his sonne or one
    [Page 2]
51    of them And for default of such heire males to the use of the heires males of my body
52    lawfully begotten And for default of such heires in the use of my right heires forever
53    ____ allwayes, and my will is That if the said Francis my sonne shall marry or take
54    to wife without the speciall consents of the said Francis Buller of Shillingham and
55    Francis his sonne my said Nephews or one of them That then the said Francis my
56    sonne shall not further hold or be possessed of all or any of the afore mentioned messuages
57    Barton Lands tenements rents reversions or hereditaments whatsoever, nor of any part
58    thereof But shall from thence forth only have receive and take the summe of fowerscore
59    pounds yearly by quarterly payments in lieu and recompence of all the Lands tenements
60    and hereditaments afore mentioned And my will and desire is that my said Nephews
61    or one of them their or one of their heirs or Assignes shall from time to time have
62    full power and authority to manage and or lymitt and direct the said Messuages Lands
63    Tenements rents and hereditaments and the issues and proffitts thereof for the best
64    advantage and beheese of my said sonne Francis Buller untill he shall soe marry with theire
65    or one of their consents as aforesaid And my will is that for the preferment of my said
66    Francis Buller in any such marriage to be had by and with the consents of my said
67    Nephewes as aforesaid my sonne Francis with the consents of my said Nephewes or one
68    of them shall have full power and authoritie to alter and change or dispose of any the
69    Messuage Barton Lands or tenements afore mentioned for the creation of Joynt and
70    or mayntenance to be had made or assured out of or by the Lands tenements Barton
71    rents and hereditaments afore mentioned or out of or from any part thereof for any
72    such woman as my said sonne Francis shall soe marry or otherwise at the pleasure
73    or likeing of my said Nephewes or one of them Item I give and bequeath unto
74    John Buller my second sonne all my estate right title terms interest and demand
75    whatsoever which I have or ought to have of in and unto my Messuage and tenement
76    called Kelliew in the said parish of Lanesalles with all and singular the appurtenances
77    to the same belonging or appertaineing And I give to the said John my said sonne all
78    such quicke goods and corne as shalbe of myne upon the said Tenement called Kelliew
79    at the time of my death Item I give to Ann Hancock my daughter twenty shillings
80    to make her a ring Item my will is that my wife shall have and hold the lower
81    tenement in St Kew which was heretofore the tenement of her Uncle Nicholas
82    Nicholls gent deceased dureing her life if she release her estate formerly appointed
83    to her ioynture and maintenance in the two tenements called Wilton and Killiowe
84    aforesaid that is to say if she shall within twenty dayes next after my decease
85    release and yield up her said estate in Wilton to my said Nephewes or to one of them
86    for the use and beheese of my said sonne Francis And doe likewise release and
87    yield up her said estate in Kelliowe to my said sonne John Buller And shall pay
88    the summe of twenty pound per Annum to my Executor hereby made and ordained if
89    shee marry from the time of her second marriage dureing her life and not else Item
90    I give unto my said wife my second best feather bedd in Tregarricke with the furniture
91    to the same belonging And I also give her all my houshold goods at St Kew And
92    all my plate which is not my childrens now liveing I leave to my said wife to be
93    disposed by her at her pleasure Item I give and bequeath unto Richard my third sonne
94    all my estate right title tearms and interest which I am to have in the tenement
95    called Tregavethicke within the said parish of Lansalles after the decease of
96    Marrien Trassell wife of John Tressell with the Lease for the same And I also give
97    the said Richard the sume of two hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to be
98    paid him by my Executor at such time and times as my said Nephews or one of
99    them shall think fit and appoint And untill such time as the said Richard shall
100    receive the said two hundred pounds my Executor to pay him thirteene pounds six
101    shillings and eight pence yearly by quarterly payments for his maintenance And
102    tenn pounds of like mony dureing the life of the said Marrian Trussell for increase
103    of her por[t]ion Item I give onto Peter my fowerth sonne All my estate right title
104    terme and interest whatsoever which I have and ought to have of in and unto the
105    Messuage and tenement called Lanwarnicke within the said parish of Dueloe which
    [Page 3]
106    I there bought of Robert Cole with my deeds for the same And also I give unto the said
107    Peter the summe of two hundred pound of like mony to be likewise paid by my Executor at
108    such time and times as my said Nephewes or one of them shall thinke fitt and appointe
109    And untill the said Petter shall marrie the said two hundred pounds my Executor to pay
110    him thirteene pounds six shillings eight pence yearly by quarterly payments for his
111    maintenance and increase of his person And if the said Robert Cole shall happen to
112    dye within two yeares next after my decease Then my Executor to pay the said Peter
113    my said sonne the sume of one hundred pounds more of like mony for increase of his
114    por[t]ion Item I give unto Phillip my fifth sonne the summe of fower hundred pounds
115    of like mony to be likewise paid by my Executor at such time when as the said Phillip shall attaine to the age of one and twentie yeares and untill the sayd Phillipp
116    shall receive the summe of fower hundred pounds my Executor to pay him yearly
117    the summe of ___teene pounds of like mony by quarterly payments for his maintenance
118    and increase of his portion And my will is that my Executor shall pay away any
119    reasonable summe of mony of the said fower hundred pounds at any time when he
120    my said Nephewes or one of them shall thinke fitt to disburse the same for the preferment
121    of the said Phillipp in any caleing convenient for him Item I give unto Thomazine my
122    daughter All my estate right title terme and interest whatsoever which I have and ought
123    to have of in and unto the two severall tenements called Trerachicke and ____ow
124    within the said parish of Pelintt with my deeds which I have to the same And also
125    I give the said Thomazine the summe of two hundred pounds of like mony to be paid
126    her by my Executor at such time and times as my said Nephewes or or one of them
127    shall thinke fitt and appoint And untill the said summe of two hundred pounds be
128    paid her my said Executor to pay her yearly the summe of thirteene pounds six
129    shillings and eight pence for her maintenance and increase of her portion And my
130    will is that if any or either of my said fower youngest children last mentioned
131    shall happen to dye before the payment of their severall respective portions be
132    made as aforesaid Then the portion of him her of them so dyeing shalbe equally
133    devided amongst him her or them of the said fower youngest children surviveing
134    and what estate or tearms shalbe then to expire in either of the respective Messuages
135    or tenements afore appointed to the said Richard, Peter and Thomazine soe happening
136    to dye shall revert descend and be to the use and beheese of my Executor And
137    further my will is That if at any time after my decease the said Francis my
138    sonne whom I tend to make and ordaine to be the Executor of this my last will
139    and testament upon notice or demand of my said Nephewes or one of them to him
140    to be given shall refuse to give such reasonable securitie to my said Nephewes
141    or one of them for payment of my said fower youngest childrens severall sum[m]e and
142    sum[m]es of mony afore appointed and by me to them respectively given, with the
143    severall yearly payments for their severall maintenance as my said Nephewes
144    shall thinke fitt That then my said Nephewes or one of them their heires and
145    assignes shall have full power and authority to sell or dispose of any of the
146    Messuages Lands or Tenements goods or Chattells whatsoever in this my p[re]sente
147    will and testament by me given or to be given or bequeathed to my Executor for
148    payment thereof rspectively in manner and forme aforesaid And shall have like
149    power and authority to sell alter or dispose of the respective Leases and estates
150    thereof afore appointed to Richard, Peter and Thomazine my said sonne and daughter
151    for their best advantage and beheese respectively as my said Nephewes shall thinke fitt
152    or either of them Item I give to my said Nephews twenty shillings apeece to make
153    them two rings And I doe most earnstly desire and hereby appointe and authorize
154    my said Nephews ioyntly and severally to be Overseers and trustees of this my last
155    will and testament Item all that rest and residue of my goods and chattells not hereby
156    given or bequeathed of what kinde qualitie or condition soever they or any of them are
157    of I give and bequeath unto the said Francis Buller my oldest sonne whom I make
158    and ordaine to be Executor of this my last will and testament And to be wholly
159    guided and directed by my said Nephewes or one of them from time to time for the
160    manageing and carrying on of the burthen and affaires of this my present will and
    [Page 4]
161    testament And what charges costs or expences my said Nephewes or one of them shall have
162    time to time disburse or expend in or about my suite of law which may happen touching the
163    premisses or for the imployment of any person or persons which shalbe imployed in or about
164    any of the comandes of my said Nephewes or one of them for or concerning the execution
165    thereof my said Nephewes and every of them shall from time to time satisfy them
166    out of from or by any of my goods or chattells whatsoever And further my will is
167    that my said Nephewes or one of them shall from time to time have full power to raise
168    pay and disburse any reasonable sum[m]e or sum[m]es of money for placing of any of my
169    said other younger children in any calling fitt for him or them And the same so raised
170    payd and distributed for the purposes aforesaid to deduct out of his or their portion or
171    portions for whom it shall soe paid and disburse And I doe hereby desire and appointt
172    Phillipp Tingcombe in Richard Langston George Corner and Edward Tomlinson to have
173    the ministeriall imployment and to act doe and accompt for my Executor as they shalbe
174    directed from time to time by my said Nephewes or one of them And I doe hereby nullify
175    and revoke all former and other wills and testaments whatsoever by me formerly made or
176    ordained And I charge my said sonne Francis to be kinde dutifull and courteous to his
177    mother and loveing to all his brothers and sisters. In witnes whereof I have to this
178    my last will and testament put my hand a seale geeven the day and year first
179    above written Francis Buller Sealed signed published and acknowledged in the
180    presence of us whose names are subscribed William hancocke William Purdy
181    Edward Tomlinson

Will of Sir Edward Buller, Baronet, Vice Admiral, Trenant Park - The National Archives PROB 11/1688/17, probated 23 Jul 1824

This next set of wills is a hunt for information on my Buller family of St Olave Southwark. They lived there in the late 1700s and early 1800s. They may have lived there in the earlier part of the 1700s and that is what I am trying to determine. I have almost seventy different wills so this will be a lengthy process to transcribe all of them. Some are very short but some are rather long and I am quite sure not my line but listening to advice from other researchers at the Guild I shouldn't bypass them especially if they had a lot of sons. This will likely take me a couple of months to work through but once done it will be my biggest and probably last effort to look at the Buller family and I shall move back to concentrating on my one name studies Blake and Pincombe. Perhaps one day someone will take up a one name study of the Buller family :) . I am always hopeful of that.

I still have wills for a number of my other family lines but not nearly these numbers fortunately as my interest is starting to wane in these other lines leaving others to pick up the torch for them. I have taken them back as far as I can in a reasonable search pattern and my interests have changed in the last couple of years tending to put my genealogical research efforts into my one name studies. There are roughly another 100 wills to transcribe for these various lines and I will continue to work through them once Buller is accomplished!

For ease of effort I will begin with Cornwall which is also the traditional home of the Buller family (along with Somerset).  The first will is for Sir Edward Buller Baronet and was probated 23 Jul 1824. His will just happened to be the first one that I imaged and alphabetically the first in the files under Cornwall. 

Wikipedia has an article on Sir Edward:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Edward_Buller,_1st_Baronet

His daughter Anna Maria married Lt Col James Drummond Elphinstone. Her mother was Gertrude van Cortlandt.

Trenant Park, Duloe, Cornwall is now a Grade II listed building and details can be found:

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-60670-trenant-park-duloe-

According to this article the house was possibly early 17th century and has been owned by the Hewis, Colshulls, Arundells, Whittingtons, Treise and in 1806 was sold to Admiral Sir Edward Buller and later owned by the Peel family.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 26 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1688/17
Testator: Sir Edward Buller, Vice Adml
Place: Trenant Park, Cornwall, England
Date of document: 25 Mar 1824, probated 23 Jul 1824
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Sir
[Margin]: Edward
[Margin]: Buller
[Margin]: Baronet.
[Margin]: 10

1    The last Will and Testament of vice adml Sir E Buller
2    B[arone]t which I will and bequeath as follows after my funeral and all my just debts are
3    paid to my beloved wife Gertrude I give and bequeath all my Lands and Tenaments
4    Mortgages plate books money and property of every description excepting what I have
5    recently settled on my beloved daughter Anna Maria on her marriage the same to be
6    enjoyed by my said wife Gertrude Buller during her natural life without let or hindrance
7    from any and I further bequeath to my said wife Gertrude for her life the interest of all my
8    money in India and all of my Goods Chattels Linen and Jewels and furniture that
9    I may now have or that I may hereafter have for her own and sole use for her life
10    excepting only the furniture in Trenant house which I will to go with the Estate In the
11    event of the demise of my daughter Anna Maria Buller Elphinstone during my life
12    by which the said Estate of Trenant reverts to me. I in that case will and bequeath the said
13    Trenant Estate to my estimable Son in Law James Drummond Buller Elphinstone and to
14    his heirs and assigns for ever in lieu of the five hundred pounds per annum specified in his
15    marriage Settlements if he approves thereof and provided nevertheless he pays the Sum
16    of Ten thousand pounds to my Wife Gertrude Buller and her heirs and assigns in lieu of
17    dower I also bequeath the furniture in Trenant house to the said James Drummond Buller
18    Elphinstone in the event of the demise of my said daughter Anna Maria Buller
19    Elphinstone in my lifetime and in that case all the residue of my property of every description
20    I will and bequeath to my wife and her heirs and assigns for Ever but she my beloved
21    daughter Anna Maria Buller Elphinstone survive me Then I will and bequeath to her
22    and her heirs and assigns for ever all my Real and personal Estates that I now have or
23    that hereafter may belong to me of every description after the demise of my wife excepting
24    the before mentioned Goods Chattels Linen Jewels etc to my said wife which I have
25    bequeathed to her for ever excepting the Sum of Eight thousand pounds part of my property
26    now in the Company's Treasury in India which on the demise of my said wife Gertrude
27    I will and bequeath to my daughter Anna Maria Buller Elphinstone for her owne
28    sole use for ever. My personal property now stands charged with a pension of one hundred
29    pounds per annum to Mrs Eliz: Catherine Bluntiell for her natural life also to my aged
30    female Mary Barn a pension of nineteen pounds thirteen shillings and four pence
31    for her natural life I have several pensioners in India to whom I wish my agents
32    Mess[ieur]s Alexander to pay two years Salary from the day of my death and for which to
33    obtain a receipt in full from them in lieu of any further pensions whatever and as I
34    have lately paid a considerable debt of John Allans and have been at great expence
35    in respect to him and have provided him with a situation I do not conceive it necessary
36    to give him any further allowance but as his Sister Ann Allan has now the Sum of
37    Eight hundred pounds standing in the joint names of John Gorst Scott Esquire and my own in
38    the 3 1/2 p[e]r c[en]t I charge my personal Estate with making the same up to a clear Sixty
39    pounds a year so long as she remains single and in the case of her marrying to give
40    her the Sum of one hundred pounds in lieu of any augmentation to the before
41    mentioned Sum of eight hundred pounds 3 1/2 p[e]r c[en]t my personal Estate is also chargeable
42    with the Sum of one thousand pounds due to my Brother Henry's son Henry George
43    Buller which I wish my wife Gertrude who I hereby appoint with my friends
44    Davies Gilbert and W[illia]m Howe Mulcaster and George James Hamilton Esq[uie]rs my
45    Executrix and Executors to this my last Will and Testament in the presence of at Trenant
46    house Park in the parish of Duloe in the County of Cornwall and where no Stamps
47    are to be procured this 25 March 1824 Ed: Buller (seal) Witnesses: James Rook
48    Footman to Sir Edward Buller Geo: Hunkins Groom of Col: J.D. Elphinstone
49    John Wynhall Carpenter East Looe Cornwall
50    Proved at London 23rd July 1824 before the Judge by the oath of dame
51    Gertrude Buller widow the Relict one of the Executors to whom admon was
52    granted being first sworn (by Com[missi]on) duly to administer. David Gilbert William
53    Howe Mulcaster and George James Hamilton Esq[uie]rs the other Executors having
54    renounced.

Pincombe one name study

My Pincombe family research has suffered lately due to my intense work on the Blake family. Working two one name studies at the same time has proven to be somewhat difficult although it shouldn't be so. I suspect it is more because I am also wanting to transcribe this backlog of wills that I am finally starting to work through. I do plan to establish a website for the one name study as I have for the Blake one name study.

I have had a few interesting emails from fourth cousins which have concentrated my interest but I would like to deal with Pincombe at arm's length as well without letting my own line influence my thoughts. I have the work of the earlier researchers which linked the Pinkham and Pincombe families of North Devon but yDNA studies have thrown somewhat of a left curve into all of that. I have stood back now from those studies and will wait quite a while before contemplating them with regard to the family. I need to have more people test the Pincombe line and would love it if one of my near cousins from the John Pincombe/Elizabeth Rew (my 2x great grandparents and the emigrant to Canada) line would test and will just have to wait and see if that happens over the next few years. The opinion of the earlier researchers was that there was likely a common ancestor at least that is what I have gleaned from their 14 charts which I am now in possession of and entering into Legacy.

There is one rather interesting entry in the Calendar of Patent Rolls for Thomas Pencombe. The earliest records in North Devon use the Pencombe spelling.

The online repository that has the Calendar of Patent Rolls (http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/patentrolls/)  is a freely searchable set of files made available as a project of Professor G.R. Boynton and the University of Iowa Libraries. Thanks to them for making this set of documents available. 

It is from the time of Richard II:

1395 20 May Westminster (membrane 5)
Licence, for 100 s. paid in the hanaper by Philip Webbe, chaplain of a
chantry of St. Mary in the parish church of Bromyord, for the alienation
in mortmain by John Falke of a messuage in Bromyord, and by John
Hunte or another there, and by Thomas Pencombe and Robert Stanford
of five messuages and half an acre of meadow in the same place, not held in
chief, to the said chaplain and his successors, in aid of their maintenance.
18 Richard II, volume 5, page 582

I had found earlier records that show a Thomas Pencombe at Pembroke in Herefordshire in the 1430s and a Pencombe is known to have been with Lord de la Zouche at Northmolton in 1485 when he received property from Lord de la Zouch at East Buckland and Filleigh. The forename of the Pencombe at Northmolton is not known to me but his descendants are listed in the Visitation of Devon 1620.

Once all of these other wills are accomplished I shall spend more time on the Pincombe family once again. We hope to be in Exeter in 2014 and what wasn't bombed in WWII on the Pincombe family I shall have a look at there. Unfortunately many wills of this family were lost and only on occasion do I find abstracts from them in published books. The Freeholder books have been helpful with this family but in actual fact I knew from my mother the line back to 1655 when John Pincombe married Johane Blackmore. My line has been at Bishops Nympton since the late 1500s.

I would like to look at the Pincombe/Pinkham family though in the same way as the Blake family eventually. No one line should predominate but rather find the deep ancestry of this family although this family is primarily found in the North Devon area after 1485 and in the Pembroke Herefordshire area before 1485. They were either being rewarded for whom they supported at the Battle of Bosworth Field or they were hiding out in the wilds of North Devon :) from the wrath of Henry VII!

Calendar of Patent Rolls - Blake family

I am in the process of proofreading the OCR'd extracts of the entries in the Calendar of Patent Rolls which were pertinent to the Blake family of the British Isles. The 162 pages of text will eventually be on the Blake one name study website and hopefully sooner rather than later:

http://www.kipp-blake-families.ca/blakegoons/

One of my missions when next at Kew includes looking at published material to see if I can locate any earlier references to Blake. But it would appear that the earliest thus far is 1230. Somewhat a disappointment for Blake members who have been researching for a considerable period of time and tracing their line back to the Norman invasion of England. I think for myself it is nice to have an ancestral past that consists of tradespeople going back and forth and eventually deciding to leave their (it would appear) native France and establish their family in the British Isles. The holdings at Kew are enormous with regard to early writings and you can actually browse the shelves online! Many of the early books are also on Internet Archive and I am only just beginning my exploration of some of these books.

In my own line at Andover the earliest records appear to be in the 1200s as well. Now I guess the question is why would so many different French families chose the surname Blak/Blake/Blanc. But perhaps when you see the last word you can understand the reasoning. Blak being gaelic for pale or light coloured and Blanc being French for light coloured and now white. But the surprise is perhaps finding Richard le Blak of Rouen, Normandy in 1272 making his way to England in the wool business. Already his name is Blak but then the French also spoke a form of Gaelic and I do not know the "age" of the use of the word Blanc in French. But it appears to be the name of a silver coin that was used in the 14th century.

I have only just really become inspired to look at the really early history of the Blake family. Some posts on the ISOGG list have rather inspired me to look into the deep ancestry of the family which has become quite obvious by the yDNA testing of the Blake lines thus far. Now finding so many different locations for Blake in the British Isles between 1230 and 1452 and in particular the centre of these many different locations do appear to be the likely locations for some of the yDNA lines thus far tested does tend to give credence to the idea that this was a surname well established in France and different members came to the British Isles over a time period establishing themselves in different locations. Why did they go to these different locations? In the case of the Hampshire people I suspect it was the wool trade since they are still in that trade two and three centuries later.

As usual I am putting down my thoughts of the day with regard to the Blake family, sharing them with any readers who wish to share them and keeping them for the future. I also backup my blog just in case :)

The online repository that has the Calendar of Patent Rolls (http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/patentrolls/)  is a freely searchable set of files made available as a project of Professor G.R. Boynton and the University of Iowa Libraries. Thanks to them for making this set of documents available.

Will of Jane Blackmore widow of Bampton - The National Archives PROB 11/273/621, probated 20 Feb 1657/58

Bampton in Devon is located about six miles north of Tiverton close to the Somerset border. Just 2.9 miles west is Oakford where my Bishops Nympton Blackmore family also had property.

The testator Jane Blackmore is a widow with sons John, Christopher and Tristram. Her grandchildren namely Alice Blackmore, John, Mary and Henry Blackmore and Christopher Blackmore. Curious if these are connected to the sons in this particular order with Alice being the daughter of John, John, Mary and Henry the children of Christopher and Christopher the son of Tristram. I did check out the IGI but did not locate any records that appear to help determine this family.

Good details if one descends from this particular line.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/273/621
Testator: Jane Blackmore, widow
Place: Bampton, Devon, England
Date of document: 22 Jan 1653, probated 20 Feb 1657/58
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Jane Blackmore

1    In the name of God Amen
2    the Two and Twentieth day of Januarie In the yeare
3    of our Lord God One Thousand Six hundred Fiftie three
4    I Jane Blackmore of Bampton in the Countie of Devon
5    widdowe being of perfect minde and memorie praised be
6    God doe make and ordaine this my last Will and testament
7    in manner and forme following First I bequeath my soule
8    unto the Almightie God my Maker trusting through the
9    meritts of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer to be
10    saved and my bodie to be buried in the Souther Ile of the
11    Church of Bampton as neare my loving husband as may
12    bee Item I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of Banton
13    twentie shillings to be distributed unto them at the day of my funerall
14    Item I give and bequeath unto my Sonn John Blackmore the summe
15    of five shillings to be paid within three moneths after my death Item
16    I give and bequeath unto my Sonne Christopher Blackmore the
17    somme of fortie pounds to be paid within three moneths next after
18    my death Item I give and bequeath unto my said Sonne Christopher
19    Blackmore my best bedd and bedstead performed the best brasse pann
20    except the best brasse Crock and six of my best pewter dishes that I
21    shall be owner of at the time of my death to be paid him within three
22    moneths after my death Item I give and bequeath unto Alice Blackmore
23    my Grandchild the summe of Tenn pounds to be paid her within three
24    moneths after my death Item I further give and bequeath unto the
25    same Alice Blackmore the bedd and bedstead performed that I usually
26    lie in and three pewter dishes which were her Aunt Mary and the
27    best of the round bottome panns and the second best brass caldron and
28    all my apparrell except my best hatt and best wastcoate Item I give
29    and bequeath unto John Blackmore Mary Blackmore and Henrie
30    Blackmore my Grandchildren one shilling a peece Item I give and
31    bequeath unto Christopher Blackmore my Grandchild the summe
32    of Tenn shillings to be paid within three moneths next after my death
33    Item I give and bequeath unto Dorothie Luscombe of Bouldscombe
34    my best hatt and my best Waistcoate Item I give and bequeathe
35    unto George Marse Thomas Blue and Trisham Brounsford my
36    apprentices two shillings apeece Item I give and bequeath unto Nicholas
37    Luscombe the summe of Tenn shillings to be paid within three moneths
38    after my death Item I give and bequeath unto William Luscombe sonn
39    of Jennie Luscombe of Burlescombe the summe of two shillings All the
40    rest of my goods and Chattells not given and bequeathed I give and
41    bequeath unto my youngest sonne Tristram Blackmore whome I
42    make my sole and only Executor of this my Will and hereby revoake
43    all
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44    all former Wills Item I appoynte and ordenne my cozine Thomas
45    Balliman and George Fursey my Overseers desiring them to be ayding
46    unto my Executor in and about the performeing of this my Will In
47    witness whereof I have here unto sett my hand and seale the day and
48    yeare above written The marke of Jane Blackmore Sealed and published
49    in the presence of us Hu: Canworthy Robert Kelland Jh: Canworthy Jun[iou]r
50    This Will was proved att London vc
51    Twentieth day of Februarie In the yeare of our Lord God according
52    to the accompt and computation of the Church of England One thou-
53    sand Six hundred Fiftie and Seaven before the Judges for probate
54    of Wills and graunting Administrations lawfullie authorized by the oath
55    of Tristram Blackmore the youngest Sonne and sole and onlie
56    Executor named in the above written Will To whome Administration
57    of all and singular the goods Chattells and debts of the said deceased
58    was graunted and committed he being first legallie sworne by vertue
59    of a Commission truly and faythfullie to administer the same

Will of Hugh Blackmore, yeoman, of Bishops Nympton - The National Archives PROB 11/173/434, probated 20 Mar 1636/37

Hugh Blackmore the testator of the following will is my 9x great grandfather and he was married to Johan Whetstone (daughter of Walter Whetstone). They married 23 Oct 1586 at Bishops Nympton. I think he was baptized at Bishops Nympton and the son of Thomas Blackmoore and Honor Snow. It is the Snow family that links together the Blackmoore and the Pincombe family. Unknown Snowe baptized two children at West Anstey - William (father of Honor Snow) and Emotte (wife of William Pincombe my 10x great grandfather) thus making Thomas Blackmoore (son of Hugh) and John Pincombe mentioned in the will of Thomas cousins (third).

I did not read through this entire will prior to transcribing it. I skimmed through it quickly and thought I had discovered everything there was to be found but wills can have surprises. The big surprise is that Anthony's wife Johane is deceased by 1636 so that rather leaves me with just one Johane Blackmoore daughter of Thomas as my ancestor. A surprise find in this will of Hugh Blackmoore actually.

Hugh mentions his daughters Peternell, Elizabeth and Frances. Joan the youngest daughter died as an infant in 1600 and Susanne died as an infant in 1588. He mentions all of his sons except for Hugh who died as a young child in 1603 with Thomas being the eldest and then Edward followed  then Anthonie and Bartholomew.

Hugh put a lot of emphasis on education it would appear as his two younger sons were sent to Oxford with Anthony trained in the law and Bartholomew to be a priest. All in all a very satisfying bit of transcription. Hugh would have been somewhat elderly for the times - over 65 years of age at his death. His sons did not survive long after him, Thomas died in 1648, Bartholomew in late 1636, Anthony by 1651 and Edward I have not yet filled in his date. Will have to look for that in the parish registers.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/173/434
Testator: Hugh Blackmore, yeoman
Place: Bishops Nympton, Devon, England
Date of document: 15 Oct 1636, probated 20 Mar 1636/37
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[estament]Hugonis
[Margin]: Blackmore

1    In the name of God Amen The fyfteenth
2    day of October in the twelfe yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord
3    Charles over England etc Anno d[omi]ni 1636 I Hugh Blackmore of
4    Bishops Nympton in the countie of Devon yeoman the unprofitable servant
5    of God revokeing hereby every former will by me heretofore made doe
6    for the certaine disposing of those goodes and chattells which God of his
7    goodnes hath given mee make this my last will and Testament in manner
8    and forme followeing First I bequeath my soule unto almightie God
9    hopeing that by the bloudy death and passion of his sonne Christ Jesus to have
10    remission for all my sinnes; And for my body being but dust and meate for
11    wormes I comitt unto the earth from whence it first was taken, And first for
12    Johane my wife with whome I have lived in the holy estate of Matrimony I
13    doe devise and leave unto her all such estate and interest as I have of and in
14    all those fyve tenements in Crosse with the appurtenances Item I give and
15    bequeath unto her fower oxen and two steeres ready for labour seaven kyne
16    two weaneing calves three younge bullocks of one yeare old or more Fortie
17    Ewe sheepe fortie Lambes or hoggs tenn weathers and rammes two mares or colts
18    fitt or able for labour with saddles and furniture one mayneing colte All my swyne
19    hoggs piggs and poultrie att Crosse aforesaid, All  my silver spoones my bedstead bedd and furniture in the chamber over the winter parlor, the twoe tables livery tables standing in the said parlor and chamber over the same, and all my corne growinge or being in feildes barne or graners there, all my hay goodes and similar at Crosse aforesaid, All my bedding with sheets and
20    furniture excepting one viz[ a vi]t the bedsted with bed and furniture in the chamber
21    over the little parlour, Item I give unto her all my potts of brasse except my
22    least pott, all my candlesticks one half of all my pannes and pewter Vessells, the
23    one half of my wooll and of my Tumber or wooding Vessells, Alsoe I give unto
24    her my silver Tankerd partie quilted  my cupbord standing in the hall, All my
25    tablebords and livery Table, Alsoe I give unto her all my napery and carpets
26    the one half of all my chaires formes and stooles, my settle and seeting in the hall,
27    All my chests and cofferrs excepting fower my musket and furniture for warr'
28    All my provision of Butter Cheese and meate in salt or salted the greate
29    presse in the wring chamber, one Trunke all my spitts w[i]th drepping and fryeing
30    panns twoe paire of Andyrons one yron Barr, all my other tooles of husbandry,
31    all sackes windeing stuffe and chimney stuffe one great corne chest or Garner
32    to keepe corne in, All my wood and ladders at Crosse my Apple pound and wring
33    belonging thereunto and alsoe one Gowne of blacke to be provided for her against
34    the daie of my buriall, And whereas Anthony Blackmore my sonne and Joane
35    his wife sometyme by the name of Joane Heale thence deceased did by their
36    deed of obliga[t]ion beareing date the twelfe day of November Anno d[omi]ni 1633
37    become bounden unto mee in the forme of three hundred pounds condi[t]ioned
38    that if the said Anthony Blackmore and Joane his wife shall at all tymes
39    from henceforth p[er]mit and suffer me the said Hugh Blackmore and Joane
40    my nowe wife to have hould and enioy all that messuage called Crosse
41    aforesaid, And all that five ten[emen]ts belonging thereunto for and dureing the
42    life of mee the said Hughe and the widdowhood of Joane my wife one lower
43    or ground room and the chamber over the same and one orchard plott only
44    excepted that then the obliga[t]ion to be voyd, Now my will and meaneing is
45    and I doe hereby devise ordaine and appoint that my executor in this my
46    Testament nominated shall w[i]thin twentie dayes next after my decease
47    make over the said bond by sufficient letter of Attorney unto the said Johan
48    my wife, And if it happen that the said Anthony or his assignes shall make
49    my clayme or entrie in or to the five said messuage or ten[emen]ts or any p[ar]te thereof
50    other then is excepted as aforesaid or shall disturbe or molest my said wife
    [Page 2]
51    of the quiet enioyeing thereof w[i]thout her good likeing or consent, That then I
52    straightly charge and com[m]and my said executor to be assistant and helpfull
53    unto my said wife for serveing com[m]enceing and prosecuteing of a suite against the
54    said Anthony his executors or assignes for recovery of the penaltie of the said bond,
55    Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas my sonne my Ring or Signet of gould which
56    I use to seale w[i[thall and one paire of _irg_ulls and alsoe one silver salt
57    guilted, Item I give and bequeath unto Joane his wife my great chest in the
58    chamber over the little parlour, Item I doe devise give and bequeath unto
59    Edward my sonne all such interest terme of yeares clayme and demand
60    whatsoever I have or clayme to have of in or to all those closes of land
61    pasture and wood knowne by the name of Furse Parke al[ia]s Furse Parks with
62    the appurtenances lyeing and being in Bishops Nympton aforesayd and sometime
63    parcell of the Barton or demeasne lands of the man[n]or there Provided allwaies
64    and nevertheles my will and meaneing is that yf the said Anthony Blackmore
65    one other of my sonnes shall within two yeares next after my death well and
66    truly paye or cause to be payed unto the said Edward my sonne the some of
67    threescore pounds lawfull money of England That then the sayd Edward shall
68    upon receit thereof forthwith assigne assure make over and convey by good and
69    lawfull assurance and conveyance in lawe unto the said Anthony his brother
70    all such right interest and clayme as he the said Edward shall have of in or
71    to the said closes and p[ar]cells of land pasture and wood with the appurtenances
72    by force of theis p[re]sents, And my will and meaneing is that my executor
73    hereafter nominated shall keepe the conveyance which I have for enioying
74    thereof untill the said Terme of two yeares be fully expired and then to
75    deliver the same unto such of the sayd two brothers as the same shall of right
76    belong unto or app[er]taine And alsoe I give and bequeath unto the said Edward my
77    greatest silver balle guilted one hand gunn or fowling peece And alsoe
78    thirtie pounds of lawfull money of England to be payed within one yeare
79    next after my death Item I doe give and bequeath unto Frances Blackmoore
80    my daughter in lawe my best Cofferr Item I doe give and bequeath unto
81    my sonne Anthony my bed and furniture in the chamber over the little parlour
82    at Crosse, And whereas the right wor[shipfu]ll Sir John Stawell of the honourable
83    order of the Bath Knight hath by his deed indented bearing date the first
84    daye of February in the eight yeare of the raigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lord
85    King Charles given granted and made over unto mee and my assignes the
86    first and next avodance and assenta[t]ion of in and to the Patronage and
87    Church of Sutcombe alias Suttacombe in the Countie aforesaid for one
88    turne onely next and im[m]ediately ensueing the nowe p[re]sent incumbrance of the
89    said Church as by and in the said deed at large appeareth Nowe my will and
90    meaneing is and I doe hereby devise ordaine and appoint that my executor
91    in this my testament nominated to go ther with Edward and Anthony my said sonnes
92    or one of them their or one of their executors or assignes shall forthwith upon
93    the death resignation or depriva[t]ion w[hi]ch shall first happen of Myles Phaire
94    Clarke nowe p[re]sent Rector or member of the said Church of Sutcombe
95    present unto the Lord Bishop of the dioces of Exon for the tyme then being as
96    Clarke for the said Church of Sutcombe Bartholomewe my youngest sonne
97    yf he shal[l ]be then liveing Alsoe I doe give and bequeath unto the sayd
98    Bartholomewe one annuitye or yearly rent of tenn pounds of lawfull mony of England
    [Page 3]
99    to be yssueing or goeing forth and to be had levied pieaved and taken out
100    of all that part of the farme or barten of hayne lyeing on the south side of the
101    king's highwaye leading from Southmolton toward Dulverton in Bishops
102    Nympton aforesaid or out of my part or parcell thereof To have levey receave
103    and take the said anuitye or yearly rent of tenn pounds from the daye of my death
104    unto the end and terme and for and dureing the terme of threescore yeares if
105    he the said Bartholomewe shall soe long happen to lyve, and shall not in the meane
106    while be lawfullie instituted and inducted to the parrish charge of Sutcombe aforesaid to
107    be payable at the fower most usuall terms of the yeare by even and equall por[t]ions
108    Alsoe I doe give unto the said Bartholmewe one Trunke and desk and one cloke
109    of black to be provided for him against my buriall Item I doe give unto
110    Petronell my daughter one little chest standing in the chamber over the great
111    parlor aforesaid and one Gowne of blacke against my buriall Item I doe give
112    and bequeath unto Elizabeth my daughter five pounds in money one panne of brasse
113    two dishes of pewter p[er]formed one coffer and one Gowne of blacke against the
114    daye of my buriall Item I doe give and bequeath unto Frances my daughter
115    tenn pounds in money a little silver bolle guilted one panne and one pott of brasse
116    two dishes of pewter p[er]formed and alsoe one gowne of blacke against the daye of
117    my buriall. Item I doe give and bequeath unto each of the children of Elizabeth
118    my daughter which shee had by her first husband John White fower pounds a
119    peece to be payed within two yeares next after my death and to be put to some
120    proffit and advantage for them Item I doe give unto all the rest of my Grand-
121    children twentie shillings a peece Item I doe give to each of my Godchildren unmarried
122    twelve pence a peece Item I doe give unto the poore of the parrish of B[isho]ps
123    Nympton twentie shillings Item I doe give unto each of my houshould s[er]vants
124    fyve shillings a peece And to George Blackmoore my servant fyve pounds
125    Item I give unto John Vicary the sonne of George Vicary twentie shillings Item
126    I doe give unto the Ringers of my knill and Grave makers for their paines tenn
127    shillings Item I doe give unto the preacher that shall preach my fun[er]all s[er]mon
128    tenn shillings All the residue of my goods and chattles I doe give and bequeath
129    unto Thomas Blackmore my sonne whome I doe hereby make and ordaine
130    to be my sole executor of this my said Testament And I doe appoint my beloved
131    sonnes in lawe John Vicary the younger and Richard Comme and my abovesaid
132    sonnes Edward and Anthony to be Overseers of this my Testament and doe give
133    each of them for their paines a cloake of black against my buriall And soe
134    humbly craveing of God's pardon for my offences I committ my self to his
135    protection hopeing that after this painfull life ended I shall have a resting
136    place with him in his everlasting kingdome which I hope he will grant me for
137    his infinite mercies sake In witnes whereof I have hereunto put my hand
138    and seale even the daye and yeare first above written Hugh Blackmoore Sealed
139    Signed by the within named Hugh Blackmore and alsoe by him published and declared
140    to be his last will and testam[en]t in the p[rese]nce of us Thomas Skyner sign Giles Skyner