This will of John Blake at Halse identifies him as a brother of Robert Blake. Is this the Robert who left his will in 1639 at Halse? Are both of these men the sons of William who left his will in 1594? Only John is identified as a son but his wife Alice could have been expecting a second child. However, Robert in 1639 identified the grandmother of his children as Edith Blake. As always a new will brings some new information and plenty of questions keeping you digging deeper and deeper.
The reference to Wembdon is interesting because that is the home of William who left his will in 1594. This particular testator appears to hold the land at both Wembdon and Halse. Later in 1639 Robert Blake in his will refers to their home at Halse and a lease for his chattle in the parish of Wemdon. William Blake who left his will in 1594 refers only to his father Robert and does not mention the name of his mother. Could she be Edith?
The Blake family at Halse has not been studied by anyone thus far in my searching. the British History website (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117135) mentions under Mill at Halse that in 1630 the mill at Halse was let on a long lease and was occupied by members of the Blake and Crosse families in the 17th century (reference: S.R.O., DD/HLM 8; ibid. D/P/hal 4/1/2, 13/2/2.).
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB11/135, Image Reference 713/605 (images by me)
Name of testator: John Blake, yeoman
Place: Halse, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 10 Apr 1620, probated 12 Jun 1620
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, cramped writing, 17th century, bold copy
[In margin] T Johannis
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen The Tenth day of
2 April 1620. I John Blake of Halse in the Countie of Somerset, yeoman, beinge
3 sicke of bodie, but of perfect minde and memory, thanks be to God therefore
4 doe make this my last will and testament in this manner and forme followinge
5 First I give and bequeath my soule to Almighty god my onely Savio[u]r by whose
6 mercie I hope to be saved. And my bodie to be buried accordinge to the christian
7 buriall. Item I give and bequeath to the poore people of Halse Tenne shillings
8 Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne one chattell lease of Eighte
9 acres of ground lyinge w[i]thin the p[ar]ish of Wemdon for and duringe all the yeares
10 and terme unto me therein grannted. But if the said Anne doe happen to dye
11 before she come to her full age of One and twenty yeares, or before her marriage,
12 Then my will is that the foresaid lease shall remaine unto my daughter Edith. Item
13 I give to my daughter Anne alsoe Twenty pounds to be paid to my Overseers at
14 Michaelmasse nexte to the use of my daughter Anne. Item I give and bequeath
15 my daughter Edith Threescore pounds to be payde alsoe to my Overseers for the use
16 of the said Edith at Michaelmas nexte Item I give and bequeath to Katherine my
17 wife, all the estate and terme w[hi]ch I nowe have in these two parcells of grounde cal[l]ed
18 Oxen lease lyinge in the p[ar]ishe of Halse aforesaid for and towardes the mayntenance
19 of my children. And alsoe all my corne in my Barne at Wemdon and all the
20 maulte in my house heare at Halse w[i]th all my Butter, Cheese, Bacon and my
21 wood aboute the house and all the corne in ground heare at Halse. Alsoe I give
22 to my wife sixe kyne and my geldinge and my mare except the heriett and all
23 my piggs. Item my will is that my wife shall have to her use and occupa[t]ion of all
24 my household stuffe both at Wemdon and heare at Halse soe longe as she be the
25 widdowe. And all the same househould stuffe to leave to my daughter Annstice soe good
26 as nowe it is, at the time of her marriage, or at the time of her death w[hi]chev[er]
27 shall hapen first. Further my will is that whereas there is Fifty pounds of my
28 marriage money to be paid at the death of my mother in lawe out of certayne landes
29 that Katherine my wife shall have the said moneys at the tyme of payment. And that
30 my Executor shall not be charged heare w[i]th. The residue of all my goodes debts chattels
31 not given nor bequeathed I doe give and bequeath to my daughter Annstice whome
32 I doe make my Executrix of this my last will and testament. I doe constitute ordaine
33 and make Roberte Blake my brother, William Buncombe and Phillipp Morse
34 to be Overseers to this my Will and to take into their hands all Legacies or somes of
35 money given to my daughters and the same to ymploy for the use and benefitt of
36 my daughters untill they come to the full age of one and twenty yeares and then to
37 paye over to every of them as they shall come to their full ages of one and twenty
38 yeares theyr severall por[t]ions w[i]th the profitts thereof. And my Will is that my Over-
39 seers shall have sixe shillings and eight pence a peece for their paines Witnesses
40 heare unto William Cade, Richard Cade, Anthony Cade, William Buncombe.
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