Another will for a member of the Blake family of Halse and this one does link some generations on the one hand but on the other as usual adds a new dimension and more questions. William is still young when he dies; his father Robert is still living and at Halse. This is only 1594 so this is not the same Robert as is married to Agnis in the wills posted over the last couple of days. But the forename is interesting none the less. The name of this William's son is John. John is thus born before 1594 but no way of telling his age from this document other than that he is less than 21 years of age.
Wembdon is one mile NW of Bridgwater. The parish register holdings for this parish only go back to 1665 for baptisms, 1676 for marriages and 1673 for burials.
Although William lives at Wembdon he will be buried at Halse according to his will. His wife is named Alice but no hints at her maiden name except that the second executor is John Nethercott of Wembdon. The property of William is divided equally between John, the son of William and Alice, and Alice his mother. One of the next wills that I will transcribe is that of John Blake of Halse. Since William is dying as an adult in 1594 with a son he is probably in his 20s which could mean he was born in the early 1570s or late 1560s. That would mean his father was likely born in the 1540s. Humphrey Blake of Over Stowey is buried in 1558. His eldest son John is buried in 1576 and his daughters are all married by then so he was probably born in the 1520s or early 1530s so h is perhaps a contemporary of Humphrey's children. Humphrey only identifies one sister (Alice married to Cabull) in his will. Was she his only sibling? Are there separate Blake lines in Somerset? Over Stowey is 8 miles NNE of Halse. Every will adds something new and interesting but also raises more and more questions!
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/84 Image Reference 183/163 (images by me)
Name of testator: William Blake, Yeoman
Place: Wembdon, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 7 Jun 1594, probated 1 Aug 1594
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, 16th century, light copy
[In margin] T Willmi
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen The seventhe
2 daye of June and in the six and thirteth yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Ladye Elizabeth
3 by the grace of god of England Frannce and Ireland Queene defendresse of the faithe etc A[nn]o
4 D[omi]ni A thousand five hundreth ninetie foure I Will[ia]m Blake of Wembdon in the
5 Countye of Somerset[t]e yeoman and of good and perfecte memorye (god be thancked) doe make and
6 ordayne this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following th[u]s Imprimis I
7 bequeathe my Soule unto Almightie god my maker and Redemer And my Bodye to the earthe viz
8 to be buryed in the Churchyarde of Halse. Item I give to the Church of Halse foure pence
9 Item I give to the Churche of Wembdon foure pence Item I give to the poore people of Halse
10 three shillings foure pence Item I give to the poore of Wembdon three shillings four pence All
11 the Rest of my goods and chattells moveable and unmoveable not given nor bequeathed (all my debts
12 paid and my Legacies performed) I give and bequeathe unto Alice my wife and John Blake
13 my sonne whome I make my executors Iointly together the same equally to be devided betwene
14 the said Alice my Wife and John my sonne by the handes of Robert Blake my Father and
15 John Nethercott th[e ]elder of Wembdon Item I appoint Robert Blake, my Father, to have the
16 keeping of the por[t]ion of goods of my said sonne John Blake untill my saide sonne shall accomplishe
17 the full age of one and twenty yeares Item I make and appointe to be my overseers to see this
18 my Last will performed the aforesaid Robert Blake of Halsse my Father and John Nethercott
19 of Wembdon th[e ]elder Witnesses hereunto Robert Ryshe and John Brewforde with others
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