The will of Edward Blake, Sailor, North Fareham, Hampshire was probated 30 Nov 1613. Everything is left to his mother Edith Blake of North Fareham and it includes a number of interesting saleable items but the will is too early to give us a value of the goods unfortunately.
North Fareham near Portsmouth Harbour, 8 miles south of Bishop's Waltham and 12 miles south east of Southampton. The parish itself is called Fareham with North Fareham being a hamlet within the parish. Given the proximity to the Channel it is not surprising perhaps that Edward is a sailor. No ideas on his age as I can not find anything that will identify either Edward or his mother Edith. Alverstoke lies 6 miles south south east of Fareham. I suspect this is the Wiltshire Blake family moving south from Calne down to Salisbury and thence to the New Forest area and into Hampshire. Would love to put that all together and perhaps one day. I do have one correspondence who descends from the Blake family in New Forest who says one of these days he will get to his Blake family but his mother's family is intriguing him more at the moment. Since he lives there that would be a great bonus to the Blake family study.
It was possible to find a write up on the likely expedition that Edward Blake was on with Captain Downton of the Salomon:
Eleventh Voyage of the East India Company, in 1612, in the Salomon.[103]
Kerr, Robert, 1755-1813, A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 09, Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time, Language English, LoC Class G: Geography, Anthropology, Recreation, Subject Voyages and travels, Category Text, EBook-No. 13055, Release Date Jul 30, 2004. Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
We sailed from Gravesend on the 1st February, 1611, according to the computation of the church of England, or 1612 as reckoned by others. We were four ships in company, which were counted as three separate voyages, because directed to several parts of India: The James, which was reckoned the ninth voyage, the Dragon and Hosiander the tenth, and our ship, the Salomon, as the eleventh.
[Footnote 103: Purch. Pilgr. I. 486. This unimportant voyage is only preserved, for the sake of continuing the regular series of voyages which contributed to the establishment of the East India Company. We learn from Purchas that it was written by Ralph Wilson, one of the mates in the Salomon, who never mentions the name of his captain. This voyage, as given by Purchas, contains very little information, and is therefore here abridged, though not extending to two folio pages in the Pilgrims.--E.]
I would advise such as go from Saldanha bay with the wind at E. or S.E. to get to a considerable distance from the land before standing southwards, as otherwise the high lands at the Cape will take the wind from them; and if becalmed, one may be much troubled, as there is commonly in these parts a heavy sea coming from the west. Likewise, the current sets in for the shore, if the wind has been at N.N.W. or W. or S.S.W. And also the shore is so bold that no anchorage can be had.
The 18th October, we espied the land, being near Celeber in the island of Sumatra, in about 3° of south latitude. The 2d November, coming between Java and a ragged island to the westwards of the point of Palimbangan, we met a great tide running out so fast that we could hardly stem it with the aid of a stiff gale. When afterwards the gale slacked, we came to anchor, and I found the tide to run three 1/2 leagues in one watch. I noticed that this tide set outwards during the day, and inwards through the night. This day at noon the point of Palimbangan bore N.E. by E. three leagues off, and from thence to the road of Bantam is five leagues, S.S.E. 1/3 E. The latitude of Bantam is 6° 10' S. and the long. 145° 2' E. This however is rather too much easterly, as I think the true longitude of Bantam is 144° E. from Flores.[104]
[Footnote 104: The long. of Bantam is 106° E. from Greenwich. That in the text appears to have been estimated from the island of Flores, which is 31° 20' W. from Greenwich, so that the longitude of Bantam ought to have been stated as 137° 20' E. from Flores, making an error of excess in the text of seven or eight degrees.--E.]
The 7th March, at five p.m. while in lat. 20° 34' S. we descried land nine leagues off, N.E. 1/2 N. The S.E. part of this island is somewhat high, but falleth down with a low point. The W. part is not very high, but flat and smooth towards the end, and falls right down. The south and west parts of this island is all surrounded with shoals and broken ground, and we did not see the other sides; yet it seemed as if it had good refreshments. The longitude of this island is 104° from Flores, but by my computation 107°.[105] In these long voyages, we do not rely altogether on our reckoning, but use our best diligence for discovering the true longitudes, which are of infinite importance to direct our course aright.
[Footnote 105: No island is to be found in the latitude and longitude indicated in the text.--E.]
No entries for an Edward Blake or an Edith Blake in the IGI that would fit with this time frame.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 11 Oct 2012
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/122/492
Name of testator: Edward Blake, Sailor
Place: North Fareham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:, 24 Aug 1613, probated 30 Nov 1613
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: 17th century, elaborate script, middle English, quite legible
[In margin] T[estator] Edward
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of God amen the fouer and twentite
2 daye of August one thousand sixe hundred and thirteene I Edward Blake of
3 North Faram in the Countie of Southampton Sayler sicke of bodye but of good
[Page 2]
4 and perfect memorye (god be praised) do make this my last will and testament in manner and
5 forme folowinge First I commend my soule into the handes of Almightie god my maker
6 hoping assuredlie thoroughe the only merittes of Jesus Christe my Savvyore to have life
7 everlasting And my bodye I commend unto the Earthe whereof yt is made Item I geve
8 and bequeathe unto my Mother Edithe Blake of North Faram aforesayed one peece of fyne
9 duffie and eight blue striped handkerchers and one white girdle all of India stuffe
10 Item nowe tenne poundes of pepper or therabouts Item allso aboute one pounde of
11 Nutmegge and halfe a pounde of Synnamon Item more three wicker dishes of China
12 Item nowe one bagg of Rice conteyning aboute _______ poundes and one quittasalla and whatsoev[er]
13 more I have Item now I sent unto my Mother by John Lamen of Gosp[or]t Sayler Gunners
14 mate of the Salomon one peece of gyne duffie one pounde of pepper and one spanishe
15 shillinge Item I give allso and bequeath unto my sayed mother Edith Blake all such
16 wages as shalbe due unto me from my Master Captayne Downton (except sixteene
17 shillinges which I give and bequeath unto George Downton to make hym a Rynge for
18 a remembrance} And of this my last will and testament I make and ordayne my sayed
19 Mother Edith Blake my sole executrix revoking and adnulling all former willes bothe in
20 deede and in Law In witnesse whereof I have set my hand and seale the daye and
[margin] Item one quillasoll and whatsoever more I have was interlined before those alonge ______
21 yere aforesayed in presence of Richard Pitt and Robert Myce ^ Edward Blake his marke
22 Sealed and delivered in the presence of those whole name as underwritten p[erso]ne
23 Richard Pitt [signed] Robt Myce [signed]
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