Elizabeth Blake is the testator in this will and she is a widow of Ebisham Surrey (Ebbisham and now Epsom although called in the Domesday Survey Ebbisham and the name is derived supposedly from the name Ebba (princess of Northumbria). I have used the double dating for this will to show that it was probated just five months after it was written. As mentioned earlier I normally do not add the extra /two digit date as I do not find it inconvenient to think in terms of the year beginning in late March and ending in March up to 1752.
Elizabeth reveals a number of interesting details which includes her daughters Joan Fulke and Elizabeth Parkhurst (deceased). Her sister Anne Bowyer and her brother Rathyar Wrench and hence the maiden name of Elizabeth is Wrench. Her grandchildren namely a grandson and grand daughter Fulke of Beddington and a grandson William Parkhurst of Ewell. Nothing about her husband has been found to date.
Time is shortening for me at the moment with Christmas coming so have taken a cursory glance at Family History website (IGI), Ancestry and Find My Past but did not locate any information on this family. Will investigate later.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 29 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/199/754
Testator: Elizabeth Blake, widow
Place: Ebbisham, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 18 Nov 1646, probated 16 Mar 1646/47
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing fine, light copy
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Elizabethe
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen
2 The Eighteenth daie of November in the yeare of our Lord God One thousand
3 sixe hundred fortie and sixe I Elizabeth Blake in the Countie of Surrey and of
4 the parish of Ebisham in the said countie widdowe doe make this my last will
5 and Testament in manner and forme followinge First I bequeath my Soule
6 unto God my Maker trustinge assuredly through the merritts of his Sonne
7 Christ Jesus my Savyour to have eternall Salvation Secondly I bequeath my
8 bodie to bee buryed in the parish churchyard of Ebisham if I dye in the said
9 parish Inprimis I bequeath unto the two children of my daughter Fulke
10 (namely Joane Fulke of the parish of Beddington in the countie of Surrey above-
11 said one sonne and a daughter to each of them the summe of Fortie shillinges a
12 peece within sixe monethes after my decease if they then bee lyvinge And if
13 it channce that either of these said children dye before mee That his or her parte
14 shall goe to the Survyvour And if it happen that both these said children dye
15 before mee That then it shall goe unto William Parkhurst of Ewell in Surrey
16 Sonne unto my daughter Elizabeth Parkhurst of Ewell aforesaid deceased Item
17 I give unto the aforesaid William Parkhurst my daughter's sonne of Ewell
18 likewise the summe of Fortie shillinges To be paid unto the said William
19 Parkhurst alsoe within sixe monethes after my decease And if it channce that
20 the said William Parkhurst doe dye likewise before mee That then his said
21 portion shall goe unto my sister Anne Bowyer Item I give unto my cozen
22 Joane Stanesnore a paire of hempen sheetes Item I give unto the daughter
23 of my Brother Rathyar Wrench namely Jeane Wrench likewise one paire of
24 hempen sheetes Item it is my will that my sister Anne Bowyer shalle bee
25 my full and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and to have
26 all my goods whatsoever As alsoe my lease after my debts beinge paid and
27 these legacies aforesaid performed To have the remaynder Item it is my Will
28 That Anthony Price and Thomas Rogers of Ebisham to bee thee Overseeers of
29 this my last Will and Testament Memorandum that the said Elizabeth Blake
30 Widdow was at the makeing of this Will in good and perfect mynde and
31 memory praised bee God and walked about the house of Elizabeth Blake Widdowe
32 her marke Witnesses by us whose names are here underwritten Tho: Boyse
33 Anthony Price Thomas Pearkeare Aryhillis Richball her marke Alice Kinge
34 her marke
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Will of Humfry Blake, Nailsmith, Saint Olave Southwark, Surrey - The National Archives PROB 11/176/167, probated 15 Feb 1638
An interesting will as the testator is about to go to Virginia in 1634. The will being probated in 1638 leaves one to wonder if he has gone and returned ill and later succumbed to his illness.
No ideas on the ancestry of this Humfry Blake living at St Olave Southwark. Is Humfry Cundey/Condey/Candey his nephew/godson? Did a bit of searching online but nothing found that led to either of these people.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/176/167
Testator: Humfry Blake, Nailsmith
Place: Saint Olave Southwark, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Aug 1634, probated 15 Feb 1638
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing close, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Humfry
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen, The five and twentith daye of
2 August Anno d[o]m[ini] 1634 And in the tenth yeare of the raigne of our sov[er]aigne Lord
3 Charles by the grace of God king of England Scotland France and Ireland
4 defender of the faith etc I Humfry Blake of the parrish of St Olave in South-
5 warke in the countie of Surrey Nailesmith now bound to Seas of a voyage to Virginie
6 and being uncertaine of our returne how sure wee are to dye wee knowe but of the tyme
7 and place alltogether ignorent doe therefore make and declare this my present last will
8 and testament in manner and forme followeing that is to saie First and espec[ia]lly I com[m]it and com[m]end
9 my soule wh[ich] is mortall into the hands of almightie God that gave it me and my body
10 to the earth from whence it came And as touching all such p[er]sonall estate and substancs
11 whatsoev[er] as moneys goods chattles and things whatsoev[er] as the Lord of his mercy nowe
12 hath or hereafter shall endue and blesse me withall I wholly give devise and bequeath
13 the same and every part thereof my debts w[hi]ch I shall insttly owe at the tyme of my
14 decease being first satisfied and payed unto Humfry Cundey Cittizen and Shipwright
15 of London whome I hereby make and ordaine sole executor of this my last will and testament
16 Finally I hereby revoke contermand and make voyd all former wills legacies and
17 executors by mee either made and bequeathed published and ordayned and doe will
18 that this presente and none els shall stand and be taken for my last will and testament
19 And in wittnes thereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the daye and yeare
20 first above written Humfry Blake Sealed and deliv[er]ed by the said Testator as
21 his last will and testament in the presence of John Felbodye scr and John Byard
22 servent to the said scr John Seaton
No ideas on the ancestry of this Humfry Blake living at St Olave Southwark. Is Humfry Cundey/Condey/Candey his nephew/godson? Did a bit of searching online but nothing found that led to either of these people.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/176/167
Testator: Humfry Blake, Nailsmith
Place: Saint Olave Southwark, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Aug 1634, probated 15 Feb 1638
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing close, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Humfry
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen, The five and twentith daye of
2 August Anno d[o]m[ini] 1634 And in the tenth yeare of the raigne of our sov[er]aigne Lord
3 Charles by the grace of God king of England Scotland France and Ireland
4 defender of the faith etc I Humfry Blake of the parrish of St Olave in South-
5 warke in the countie of Surrey Nailesmith now bound to Seas of a voyage to Virginie
6 and being uncertaine of our returne how sure wee are to dye wee knowe but of the tyme
7 and place alltogether ignorent doe therefore make and declare this my present last will
8 and testament in manner and forme followeing that is to saie First and espec[ia]lly I com[m]it and com[m]end
9 my soule wh[ich] is mortall into the hands of almightie God that gave it me and my body
10 to the earth from whence it came And as touching all such p[er]sonall estate and substancs
11 whatsoev[er] as moneys goods chattles and things whatsoev[er] as the Lord of his mercy nowe
12 hath or hereafter shall endue and blesse me withall I wholly give devise and bequeath
13 the same and every part thereof my debts w[hi]ch I shall insttly owe at the tyme of my
14 decease being first satisfied and payed unto Humfry Cundey Cittizen and Shipwright
15 of London whome I hereby make and ordaine sole executor of this my last will and testament
16 Finally I hereby revoke contermand and make voyd all former wills legacies and
17 executors by mee either made and bequeathed published and ordayned and doe will
18 that this presente and none els shall stand and be taken for my last will and testament
19 And in wittnes thereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the daye and yeare
20 first above written Humfry Blake Sealed and deliv[er]ed by the said Testator as
21 his last will and testament in the presence of John Felbodye scr and John Byard
22 servent to the said scr John Seaton
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Will of John Blake, Mariner, Redderith Surrey -- The National Archives PROB 11/171/26, probated 8 May 1636
The first of my five wills for Blake family members in Surrey with John Blake as Testator and he is a mariner living at Redderith (or Rotherhithe or Rotherhithe St Mary).
The other four wills include:
Will of Humfry Blake, Nailsmith of Saint Olave Southwark, probated 15 Feb 1638
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Ebbisham, probated 16 Mar 1647
Will of Ellen Blake, widow of Croydon, probated 10 Jul 1647
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Rederith, probated 11 Sep 1654
After yesterday's difficult will this one was a pleasure to transcribe.
The testator identifies his brother Peter Blake, his sons John and James Blake and his wife Mary/Marie Blake. Interestingly he identifies his mother as Johan Hamond and his father in law as John Hamond and his mother in law as Francie Browne. That sounds like an interesting story and perhaps explains the comment in his will if his wife makes a second choice if he is dead and remarries. The mother in law is confusing though as divorce was pretty unusual in those days. There are a few other names in the will but they are not related to the testator as far as one can tell in the reading.
As always I go to the Family Search website to see if there is any information on this family.
There is a burial for Peter Blake 26 Nov 1643 at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey and a marriage 5 Jun 1620 for Peter Blake and Abigail Mulford at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey. Nothing conclusive on the rest.
An interesting finding with regard to William Blake, Poet Laureate, England, and he was born 28 Nov 1757 in St James parish, Westminster. The grandfather of William Blake was a James Blake from Rotherhithe. The older brothers of William were James and John. History records that James Blake, a gentleman of Rotherhithe was sufficiently prosperous to pay sixty pounds to apprentice his son James Blake (father of William above) as a draper but this son would have been born in the 1720s so not likely the son of the testator above plus his brother Peter Blake was also living in Rotherhithe but it is rather interesting. As time permits I will try to collect more information on the Blake families in Surrey.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 27 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/171/26
Testator: John Blake, Mariner
Place: Redderith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Jan 1632, probated 8 May 1636
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen
2 the Five and Twentith daie of Januarie Anno Dom[ini], one
3 Thousand Sixe hundred Thirtie Two. And in the Eight yeare
4 of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace
5 of God kinge of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland
6 defender of the faith etc I John Blake of Redderith in the Countie
7 of Surrey Marriner being att this p[oi]nte in good health, and p[er]fecte
8 memorie (thankes bee therefore given unto Almightie God, But
9 being nowe bound for sea, and my returne being uncertaine, doe
10 therefore make, and declare this my last will, and Testament in
11 wrytinge in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie First and
12 principallie I doe com[m]end my soule into the hands of my most
13 gracious and mercifull God hopeing and undoubtedlie beleevinge
14 through the merritts death passion and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour
15 Jesus Christ to have free pardon, and forgivenes of all my Sinnes, and to
16 enioy everlasting blessednes with him in the kingdome of heaven hereaft[e]r
17 And my Body I committ the same to the Earth to bee buried in decent
18 manner att the discretion of my Executrixe hereafter named, And
19 as for such lande, goods, and estate whatsoever which it hath pleased God
20 to lend to mee I doe dispose of the same manner and forme following
21 That is to say Imprimis I doe give and bequeath unto my Lovinge wife
22 Mary Blake All those my Three messuages or Tenements with their
23 appurten[an]cs, and the Garden and wharfs thereunto adioyninge and
24 belonging which I latelie purchased to mee and my heires and
[Page 2]
25 and assignes forever of Robert Osborne Cittizen and draper of
26 London scittuate lying and being in Redderith beforesaid in the said
27 countie of Surrey and now in the severall tenures or occupa[t]ions of M[aste]r
28 Berrisford Mr Preston and Goodman Burroughes, To have and to
29 hold the saiid Three messuages or Tenements, and other the premiss[e]s
30 unto the said Marie my wife, and her assignes for and duringe her
31 naturall life And from, and after the decease of the said Marie
32 my wife, Then I doe give and bequeath the sake Three messuages, or
33 Tenements with th[e ]appurten[an]cs and the said Garden and wharfe
34 unto my Two sonnes namely John Blake and James Blake equallie
35 betweene them to be devided, To have and to hould unto them my said
36 sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally betweene them, and to
37 their heires, and assignes forever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto
38 my said Two sonnes John Blake, and James Blake the lease of my
39 nowe dwellinge house in Redderith aforesaid to mee grannted from my
40 father in lawe James Hamond with my Interest tytle and terme of
41 yeares of in and to the same house with th[e ]appurten[an]cs equallie betwixte
42 them, To have, and to hold the same my dwellinge house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs
43 unto them my said Twoe sonnes equallie betweene them, and their executors
44 and assignes for and duringe all such terme as shal[l ]bee to come, and unexpired
45 by vertue of the Indenture of Lease by which I hold the same att the tyme
46 of my decease provided alwaies that they my said sonnes doe pay
47 and performe such Rent Covenants and agreements as if my Executors
48 and assignes are, and stand charged to pay by vertue of the said lease
49 provided alsoe that they my said sonnes doe permitt and suffer the said
50 Marie my wife peaceably and quietly to have and enioy the same my
51 dwelling house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs for, and during her naturall life
52 upon condition that shee or her assignes doe pay the rent and performe
53 the covenante, conteined in the said Lease. Item I doe desire my said
54 wife to permitt, and suffer my said sonne John Blake to have and enioy
55 the noyety or one halfe of my said nowe dwellinge house ymediately
56 from and after my decease for, and duringe the naturall life of her
57 my said wife, hee payinge his rateable share of the rent, and for the
58 repara[t]ions thereof. But yf shee the said Mary Blake my wife shall
59 refuse to suffer my said sonne to have and enioy the moyetie of my
60 said dwellinge house as aforesaid, Then I doe give and bequeath unto
61 my said sonne John Blake his executors and assignes one Annuity
62 or yearelie payment of Fyve pounds of lawfull money To bee
63 paid unto him my said sonne John his executors and assignes
64 halfe yearelie out of my personall estate duringe the life of the
65 said Marie my wife. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
66 sonne John Blake the somme of One hundred pounds of lawfull
67 money of England, To be paid unto him within Twentie dayes next
68 after the marriage of the said Mary my wife (yf in case shee shall
69 make a second choice) or within Twenty daies next after her decease
70 which shall first, and next happen, And if in case the said John my sonne
71 shall fortune to decease before the same one hundred pounds shal[l ]be
72 due, and payable unto him as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same
[Page 3]
73 One hundred pounds unto, and amongst such children as my said
74 sonne John now hath or shall have of his body lawfully begotten equally
75 amongst them share and share like. And if my said sonne John shall
76 then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same one
77 hundred pounds unto my said sonne James Blake his Brother Item
78 I doe give, and bequeath unto my said sonne James Blake the somme
79 of One hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England, To be paid unto
80 him within twenty daies next after the marriage of the said Mary my
81 wife (if in case shee shall make a second choice) or within Twenty
82 dayes next after her decease which shall first, and next happen, And
83 yf in case the said James my sonne shall fortune to decease before
84 the same One hundred pounds shal[l ]be due, and payable unto him
85 as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same One hundred pounds unto
86 and amongst such child or children as it shall please God my sonne James
87 to have of his bodie lawfully begotten equally amongst them and the
88 survivors of them share and share like. And if my said sonne James
89 shall then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same
90 One hundred pounds unto my said sonne John his brother. And if my
91 said sonne John shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same One
92 hundred pounds unto, and amongst such child or children as my said
93 sonne John now hath, and then shall have of his body lawfully begotten
94 share, and share like Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
95 sonne James One hundred pounds more of lawfull money of
96 England, To be paid unto him my said sonne James at such tyme,
97 and when as he shall attaine to the full age of Twenty and one
98 yeares. And yf in case my said sonne James shall decease before
99 hee shall ataine the said age Then I doe give the same one hundred
100 pounds unto my said sonne John. And yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead
101 Then I doe give the same one hundred pounds unto and amongst
102 such child or children as my said sonne John shall then have of his
103 Body lawfully begotten equally, and propor[t]ionably share and
104 share like. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said Twoe sonnes
105 John Blake and James Blake the moyety, or one half of such
106 plate as I shall have att the tyme of my decease, or Twenty pounds
107 in money at the election and choice of the said Mary my wife equallie
108 betwixt them share and share like. Item I doe will and appoint that my
109 Executrix hereafter named shall find provide and allow unto my
110 said sonne James meate, drinke, Apparrell, and other necessaryes
111 duringe his minoritie, and shall keepe him att schoole, Item I doe
112 give and bequeath unto John Blake sonne unto my said sonne John
113 Blake the somme of Fiftie pounds of lawfull money of England
114 To be paid unto him my said grand sonne within Twentie daies next
115 after the decease of the said Mary my wife. And if my said grand sonne
116 shal[l ]bee then dead then I doe give the same Fifty pounds unto
117 and amongst such child or children as my said sonne John shall
118 then have equally, and propor[t]ionablyshare, and share like, And yf
119 my said sonne John shall then have noe child, or children livinge
120 Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to my said sonne John, And
121 yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to
122 my said sonne James Blake. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my
[Page 4]
123 Brother Peter Blake the somme of Five pounds of lawfull money
124 of England, To bee paid unto him within Twentie dayes next after
125 the decease of the said Mary my wife, And if my said Brother Peter
126 Shal[l ]bee then dead Then I doe give the same Fyve pounds unto, and
127 betwixt my said Two sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally, and
128 the survivor of them. And yf they shal[l ]bee then both dead then I doe give
129 the same Five pounds unto and amongst such children as my said sonnes
130 shall then have lyvinge equally amongst them. Item I doe give unto my
131 mother Mrs. Johan Hamond Fortie shillings, To my Father in lawe James
132 Hamond Twenty shillings, And to my mother in law Francie Browne
133 Twenty shillings, To be paid unto them, or such of them as shal[l ]bee lyvinge
134 within twenty dayes next after the decease of the said Mary my wife.
135 Item I doe give, and bequeath unto all my Godchildren that shall bee
136 lyvinge Twenty dayes next after my said wives decease the somme of
137 Twenty shillings apeece. All the rest and residue of my goods chattells
138 shipping money, plate household stuff, wages, and estate whatsoever
139 after my debts paid, and my funerall expences discharged I doe give
140 and bequeath unto my kind and Lovinge wife Mary Blake, And I
141 doe hereby make ordaine and appoint the said Mary my wife to bee
142 sole executrix of this my Last will, and Testament intreatinge her of
143 all Loves heretofore betwixt us, And as I have beene kind to her in
144 giveinge unto her the greatest part of my estate by this my will,
145 That soe shee would be kind to my sonnes duringe her life and
146 liberall to them att her death And I doe nominate, and appointe
147 my said Brother Peter Blake, and my said sonne John Blake to
148 bee overseers of this my will intreating them to bee aydinge and
149 assistinge and assisting unto my said wife in the due execu[t]ion thereof
150 And I doe hereby renounce, anihilate, and Revoke all former wills
151 and testaments by mee made, And I doe pronounce this pre[sen]te to
152 be my last will and Testament In witnes whereof I the said John
153 Blake th[e ]elder to this my Last will and Testament have putt my
154 hand and seale geven the day and yeare first written p[er] me Jno
155 Blake, This present will concisting of Nyne sheets was by the said
156 John Blake, signed sealed, and delivered as his Laste will, and
157 Testament after the interlyninge of the word Fyve in the seaventh
158 sheete of his Brother Peters Legacie in the p[re]sence of us, John Davids
159 Scr John Harvey Cittizen and Merchantaylor of London dwellinge in
160 Saint Swithins Lane in London, Fra: Harrison servant to the said Scr
The other four wills include:
Will of Humfry Blake, Nailsmith of Saint Olave Southwark, probated 15 Feb 1638
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Ebbisham, probated 16 Mar 1647
Will of Ellen Blake, widow of Croydon, probated 10 Jul 1647
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Rederith, probated 11 Sep 1654
After yesterday's difficult will this one was a pleasure to transcribe.
The testator identifies his brother Peter Blake, his sons John and James Blake and his wife Mary/Marie Blake. Interestingly he identifies his mother as Johan Hamond and his father in law as John Hamond and his mother in law as Francie Browne. That sounds like an interesting story and perhaps explains the comment in his will if his wife makes a second choice if he is dead and remarries. The mother in law is confusing though as divorce was pretty unusual in those days. There are a few other names in the will but they are not related to the testator as far as one can tell in the reading.
As always I go to the Family Search website to see if there is any information on this family.
There is a burial for Peter Blake 26 Nov 1643 at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey and a marriage 5 Jun 1620 for Peter Blake and Abigail Mulford at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey. Nothing conclusive on the rest.
An interesting finding with regard to William Blake, Poet Laureate, England, and he was born 28 Nov 1757 in St James parish, Westminster. The grandfather of William Blake was a James Blake from Rotherhithe. The older brothers of William were James and John. History records that James Blake, a gentleman of Rotherhithe was sufficiently prosperous to pay sixty pounds to apprentice his son James Blake (father of William above) as a draper but this son would have been born in the 1720s so not likely the son of the testator above plus his brother Peter Blake was also living in Rotherhithe but it is rather interesting. As time permits I will try to collect more information on the Blake families in Surrey.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 27 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/171/26
Testator: John Blake, Mariner
Place: Redderith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Jan 1632, probated 8 May 1636
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen
2 the Five and Twentith daie of Januarie Anno Dom[ini], one
3 Thousand Sixe hundred Thirtie Two. And in the Eight yeare
4 of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace
5 of God kinge of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland
6 defender of the faith etc I John Blake of Redderith in the Countie
7 of Surrey Marriner being att this p[oi]nte in good health, and p[er]fecte
8 memorie (thankes bee therefore given unto Almightie God, But
9 being nowe bound for sea, and my returne being uncertaine, doe
10 therefore make, and declare this my last will, and Testament in
11 wrytinge in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie First and
12 principallie I doe com[m]end my soule into the hands of my most
13 gracious and mercifull God hopeing and undoubtedlie beleevinge
14 through the merritts death passion and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour
15 Jesus Christ to have free pardon, and forgivenes of all my Sinnes, and to
16 enioy everlasting blessednes with him in the kingdome of heaven hereaft[e]r
17 And my Body I committ the same to the Earth to bee buried in decent
18 manner att the discretion of my Executrixe hereafter named, And
19 as for such lande, goods, and estate whatsoever which it hath pleased God
20 to lend to mee I doe dispose of the same manner and forme following
21 That is to say Imprimis I doe give and bequeath unto my Lovinge wife
22 Mary Blake All those my Three messuages or Tenements with their
23 appurten[an]cs, and the Garden and wharfs thereunto adioyninge and
24 belonging which I latelie purchased to mee and my heires and
[Page 2]
25 and assignes forever of Robert Osborne Cittizen and draper of
26 London scittuate lying and being in Redderith beforesaid in the said
27 countie of Surrey and now in the severall tenures or occupa[t]ions of M[aste]r
28 Berrisford Mr Preston and Goodman Burroughes, To have and to
29 hold the saiid Three messuages or Tenements, and other the premiss[e]s
30 unto the said Marie my wife, and her assignes for and duringe her
31 naturall life And from, and after the decease of the said Marie
32 my wife, Then I doe give and bequeath the sake Three messuages, or
33 Tenements with th[e ]appurten[an]cs and the said Garden and wharfe
34 unto my Two sonnes namely John Blake and James Blake equallie
35 betweene them to be devided, To have and to hould unto them my said
36 sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally betweene them, and to
37 their heires, and assignes forever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto
38 my said Two sonnes John Blake, and James Blake the lease of my
39 nowe dwellinge house in Redderith aforesaid to mee grannted from my
40 father in lawe James Hamond with my Interest tytle and terme of
41 yeares of in and to the same house with th[e ]appurten[an]cs equallie betwixte
42 them, To have, and to hold the same my dwellinge house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs
43 unto them my said Twoe sonnes equallie betweene them, and their executors
44 and assignes for and duringe all such terme as shal[l ]bee to come, and unexpired
45 by vertue of the Indenture of Lease by which I hold the same att the tyme
46 of my decease provided alwaies that they my said sonnes doe pay
47 and performe such Rent Covenants and agreements as if my Executors
48 and assignes are, and stand charged to pay by vertue of the said lease
49 provided alsoe that they my said sonnes doe permitt and suffer the said
50 Marie my wife peaceably and quietly to have and enioy the same my
51 dwelling house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs for, and during her naturall life
52 upon condition that shee or her assignes doe pay the rent and performe
53 the covenante, conteined in the said Lease. Item I doe desire my said
54 wife to permitt, and suffer my said sonne John Blake to have and enioy
55 the noyety or one halfe of my said nowe dwellinge house ymediately
56 from and after my decease for, and duringe the naturall life of her
57 my said wife, hee payinge his rateable share of the rent, and for the
58 repara[t]ions thereof. But yf shee the said Mary Blake my wife shall
59 refuse to suffer my said sonne to have and enioy the moyetie of my
60 said dwellinge house as aforesaid, Then I doe give and bequeath unto
61 my said sonne John Blake his executors and assignes one Annuity
62 or yearelie payment of Fyve pounds of lawfull money To bee
63 paid unto him my said sonne John his executors and assignes
64 halfe yearelie out of my personall estate duringe the life of the
65 said Marie my wife. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
66 sonne John Blake the somme of One hundred pounds of lawfull
67 money of England, To be paid unto him within Twentie dayes next
68 after the marriage of the said Mary my wife (yf in case shee shall
69 make a second choice) or within Twenty daies next after her decease
70 which shall first, and next happen, And if in case the said John my sonne
71 shall fortune to decease before the same one hundred pounds shal[l ]be
72 due, and payable unto him as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same
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73 One hundred pounds unto, and amongst such children as my said
74 sonne John now hath or shall have of his body lawfully begotten equally
75 amongst them share and share like. And if my said sonne John shall
76 then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same one
77 hundred pounds unto my said sonne James Blake his Brother Item
78 I doe give, and bequeath unto my said sonne James Blake the somme
79 of One hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England, To be paid unto
80 him within twenty daies next after the marriage of the said Mary my
81 wife (if in case shee shall make a second choice) or within Twenty
82 dayes next after her decease which shall first, and next happen, And
83 yf in case the said James my sonne shall fortune to decease before
84 the same One hundred pounds shal[l ]be due, and payable unto him
85 as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same One hundred pounds unto
86 and amongst such child or children as it shall please God my sonne James
87 to have of his bodie lawfully begotten equally amongst them and the
88 survivors of them share and share like. And if my said sonne James
89 shall then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same
90 One hundred pounds unto my said sonne John his brother. And if my
91 said sonne John shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same One
92 hundred pounds unto, and amongst such child or children as my said
93 sonne John now hath, and then shall have of his body lawfully begotten
94 share, and share like Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
95 sonne James One hundred pounds more of lawfull money of
96 England, To be paid unto him my said sonne James at such tyme,
97 and when as he shall attaine to the full age of Twenty and one
98 yeares. And yf in case my said sonne James shall decease before
99 hee shall ataine the said age Then I doe give the same one hundred
100 pounds unto my said sonne John. And yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead
101 Then I doe give the same one hundred pounds unto and amongst
102 such child or children as my said sonne John shall then have of his
103 Body lawfully begotten equally, and propor[t]ionably share and
104 share like. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said Twoe sonnes
105 John Blake and James Blake the moyety, or one half of such
106 plate as I shall have att the tyme of my decease, or Twenty pounds
107 in money at the election and choice of the said Mary my wife equallie
108 betwixt them share and share like. Item I doe will and appoint that my
109 Executrix hereafter named shall find provide and allow unto my
110 said sonne James meate, drinke, Apparrell, and other necessaryes
111 duringe his minoritie, and shall keepe him att schoole, Item I doe
112 give and bequeath unto John Blake sonne unto my said sonne John
113 Blake the somme of Fiftie pounds of lawfull money of England
114 To be paid unto him my said grand sonne within Twentie daies next
115 after the decease of the said Mary my wife. And if my said grand sonne
116 shal[l ]bee then dead then I doe give the same Fifty pounds unto
117 and amongst such child or children as my said sonne John shall
118 then have equally, and propor[t]ionablyshare, and share like, And yf
119 my said sonne John shall then have noe child, or children livinge
120 Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to my said sonne John, And
121 yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to
122 my said sonne James Blake. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my
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123 Brother Peter Blake the somme of Five pounds of lawfull money
124 of England, To bee paid unto him within Twentie dayes next after
125 the decease of the said Mary my wife, And if my said Brother Peter
126 Shal[l ]bee then dead Then I doe give the same Fyve pounds unto, and
127 betwixt my said Two sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally, and
128 the survivor of them. And yf they shal[l ]bee then both dead then I doe give
129 the same Five pounds unto and amongst such children as my said sonnes
130 shall then have lyvinge equally amongst them. Item I doe give unto my
131 mother Mrs. Johan Hamond Fortie shillings, To my Father in lawe James
132 Hamond Twenty shillings, And to my mother in law Francie Browne
133 Twenty shillings, To be paid unto them, or such of them as shal[l ]bee lyvinge
134 within twenty dayes next after the decease of the said Mary my wife.
135 Item I doe give, and bequeath unto all my Godchildren that shall bee
136 lyvinge Twenty dayes next after my said wives decease the somme of
137 Twenty shillings apeece. All the rest and residue of my goods chattells
138 shipping money, plate household stuff, wages, and estate whatsoever
139 after my debts paid, and my funerall expences discharged I doe give
140 and bequeath unto my kind and Lovinge wife Mary Blake, And I
141 doe hereby make ordaine and appoint the said Mary my wife to bee
142 sole executrix of this my Last will, and Testament intreatinge her of
143 all Loves heretofore betwixt us, And as I have beene kind to her in
144 giveinge unto her the greatest part of my estate by this my will,
145 That soe shee would be kind to my sonnes duringe her life and
146 liberall to them att her death And I doe nominate, and appointe
147 my said Brother Peter Blake, and my said sonne John Blake to
148 bee overseers of this my will intreating them to bee aydinge and
149 assistinge and assisting unto my said wife in the due execu[t]ion thereof
150 And I doe hereby renounce, anihilate, and Revoke all former wills
151 and testaments by mee made, And I doe pronounce this pre[sen]te to
152 be my last will and Testament In witnes whereof I the said John
153 Blake th[e ]elder to this my Last will and Testament have putt my
154 hand and seale geven the day and yeare first written p[er] me Jno
155 Blake, This present will concisting of Nyne sheets was by the said
156 John Blake, signed sealed, and delivered as his Laste will, and
157 Testament after the interlyninge of the word Fyve in the seaventh
158 sheete of his Brother Peters Legacie in the p[re]sence of us, John Davids
159 Scr John Harvey Cittizen and Merchantaylor of London dwellinge in
160 Saint Swithins Lane in London, Fra: Harrison servant to the said Scr
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Will of Thomas Blake Esquire Swaffham Market, Norfolk - National Archives PROB 11/15/43, probated 12 Dec 1506
This is the oldest will for a Blake member held by the National Archives at Kew for Norfolk. It has taken me several days to transcribe and I am fairly pleased with the result although there are a couple of blanks still which I will work away at. Eventually I hope to add the Probate lines.
Thomas Blake Esquire was the son of Edmund Blake and Symond Blake was his uncle. He does not mention having a brother in this will. His only son is Raffe (Ralph would be the modern equivalent). Thomas has two sisters Margaret married to Henry Danyell and Jane married to unknown Brampton. He must not have any brothers as he desires that if Raffe dies without heirs that his sister's son inherit his lands and take on the name Blake which is rather interesting.
The Visitation of Norfolk 1563, 1589 and 1613 has an entry for Blake which begins with John (should be Peter and this was an error made in the original transcription) Blake of Swaffam married to the sister of Sir John Spilman, knight (and her name is known to be Elizabeth). Their son Jasper married Agnes Pygott. Their son Peter married Beatrix Batchcroft (and they had another son Henry and a daughter Alice). The son of Peter and Beatrix were Jasper, John, Thomas and Frances in order of birth. Jasper married Anne Amyas and they had two children Jasper and Beatrix. However if this family is part of the family in the visitation Thomas was left off. Sir John Blake, Clerk of Swaffham is a brother to Peter Blake married to Elizabeth Spelman by the visitation.
Edmund is the father of this Thomas and he would appear by online charts to be the son of Thomas Blake and Elizabeth unknown and their children were Edmund Blake, Simon Blake and Peter Blake. This Peter Blake appears to be the Peter who was married to Elizabeth Spilman. Hence it would appear that this Thomas is a cousin to the Blakes listed in the Visitation.
There is some information in British History Online with regard to the holdings of Simon Blake and the charity which he set up "the altar of the chantry of Simon Blake.:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=78245
In the 14th of Henry VI. Thomas Styward of Swaffham-Market, son and heir of Thomas Styward of the same, deceased, granted to John Walpole, clerk, vicar of Swaffham, Thomas Beaupre of Well, John Heylet, chaplain, Osbert Mundford of Hokewold, Adam Mundford of Feltwell, and John Spelman of Stow-Bydon, and their heirs, his manor of Haspale in Swaffham Market, with liberty of a freefold, together with 50 acres of land in one piece at Shortlyng, called Estgate-brech, and liberty of driving the sheep to the moor of Cootys to water. And in 1436, John Walpole, Thomas Beaupre, &c. granted to Sir Thomas Tudenham, Knt. Thomas Shuldham, Jeffry Norris, Ralph Geyton, and William Prentys, their manor of Aspale, and appointed John Blake, and John Sowle, their attorneys, to deliver seizin. After this, it was held by Hugh Fenne, and by his daughter and heir Cecily, it came to Thomas Ludford of Westminster, scrivener; and in 1473, was on the death of Ludford, conveyed by William Alburgh citizen and mercer of London, (on whom it was settled in trust) to Henry Spelman, Simon Blake, &c.; but in the following year, Anthony Woodvill Earl of Rivers, and Lord Scales, &c. (the lord, as I take it, who held it in capite) granted to Richard Southwell, Henry Heydon, Esq. Edmund Clere, Henry Spelman, &c. his manor of Aspales, late Hugh Fenn's; and in 1475, Robert Southwell, &c. enfeoffed Symond Blake, William Grey, Roger Townsend, Thomas Brampton, &c. in the said manor, and the said Roger Townsend, Thomas Brampton, &c. resigned all their right in the said manor, to Symond Blake, Gent. and Robert Fuller, clerk, for the sole use of Blake.
This Simon Blake, by will dated 10th December, 1487, gives his manors called Haspalds and Whitesondes, to be settled on feoffees to find for ever, an honest and secular chaplain, not instituted into any vicarage, rectory, or free chapel, or other spiritual benefice, but to officiate, and daily say Matins, the Hours, Mass at 7 every morning, and Vespers, and all divine offices, and on all festivals, and when ever service is sung by note, to assist in the church, with other chaplains and clerks, in singing in the choir there, and to pray especially for the health of his soul, his wife Joan's, his parents, Thomas Blake, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, Robert Heigham, Esq. Margaret, Richard, and John Aleyn, John Bocking, and Joan, late wife of Thomas Bocking, Esq. and all his benefactors, and faithful deceased, to be called Blake's chantry priest, and his chantry was the south transept chapel of the church of Swaffham, where he lies buried under a marble stone near the altar of Our Lady of Pity; (fn. 18) and the said altar to be called the altar of the chantry of Simon Blake, the priest to have 8 marks per annum, to be paid on the four quarter days, by equal payments; a new chantry priest is to be chosen on the death of the old one, by the vicar of Swaffham for the time being, the churchwardens, and 5 at least of his 16 feoffees; and on their neglect to choose in the space of 8 weeks from the voidance, then the nomination and election to be in the master of St. Martin's-College at Thompson in Norfolk; and when his 16 feoffees are reduced by death to six, they are to renew the feoffment to themselves and 10 more; the vicar and churchwardens are always to receive the profits and manage the estates, pay the priest, &c. He gave also 5l. to be placed in a chest in the church, out of which, 5s. may be borrowed by any poor person of this town on pledges, but no one to have more than 5s. at a time: he gives an alms-house for four poor people, and to Trinity gild here 10 ewes and 5 sheep; a cup of silver gilt, to the church of Swaffham, formerly Mr. John Botewright's, rector of that church; to Margaret Heigham of Marham (the abbess) 4s. per annum out of a close in Holm-Hale, and after the death of the said Margaret to be settled on the said nuns for their clothing; to every priest at Swaffham 12d.; to every clerk 6d.; to the boys of the choir 3d.; to every priest in the hundreds of South-Greenhoe and Clackclose 4d.; for the obit of Edmund Blake late of Hale 40d. per annum. He wills his own obit to be kept yearly, (fn. 19) and gives to every priest officiating at it 4d. to every lay clerk 2d. and to each of the 12 boys choristers there 1d.; 20d. to the poor; to the clerk 4d. and to the sexton for ringing 4d. and appoints a lamp to burn by his grave on all holidays and Lordsdays from matins, to compline, and the bellman of the town of Swaffham to take care of it, and to have 4d. per annum; Sir Roger Townshend, Knt. and the Lady Ann Wyngfield were supervisors of his will. (fn. 20)
Thomas' will continued this chantry and added more money to the charity.
One is left to wonder if Raffe Blake died and one of his aunt's son changed his name to Blake thus keeping the property of Thomas in the family name.
The accuracy of this particular information following has not been checked by me and is an entry in wikisource.
Simon Blake of Swaffham left in his will in 1489 to Thomas his nephew the manor of Virley which can be found in the following webpage:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_Norfolk/Volume_6#Holm_Manor
Virley's Manor
Takes its name from its lord; Roger de Virley was lord in the 1st of King John, and exchanged lands at Waketon in Berkshire, with Robert de Cley and Avice his wife, for lands here; and in the 8th of Edward I. Hugh Virley died seized of it.
Simon Blake of Swaffham, Gent. left by his will, in 1489, to Thomas Blake, his nephew, the manor of Virley's, in North and South Pickenham; in the 11th of Henry VI. a fine was levied between John Smith, &c. querents, John Wheeler and Anne his wife, defendants, of a moiety of this manor, and several messuages, &c. conveyed to Smith; and in the said year there was another fine, between John Parker, &c. querents, and John Wheeler, and Anne his wife, defendants, of the other moiety; and in the 6th of Edward VI. a fine was levied between Anthony Beding field, querent, William More, and Margaret his wife, defendants, of the 4th part of the manor of Francham, alias Bures Virleys, &c. It was sold by the Bedingfields, lords of Hale, to Naylour, and Francis Naylour, Esq. was lord in 1687, and from the Naylours it was conveyed to Dr. Cannon, late Dean of Lincoln, in whose family it still remains.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/15/343
Testator: Thomas Blake
Place: Swafham Market, Norfolk, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 18 Nov 1505, probated 12 Dec 1506
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] Test[ament] Thome
[Margin] Blake
1 In dei nomine amen I Thomas Blake of Swafh[a]m M[ar]ket Esquyer in full mynde and hole
2 remembrance beynge the xviij day of Novembr[e] in the yere of our lord god 15 hundred and fyve make and ordeyne this
3 to be my last will and very testam[en]t and noon[e] other for I Revoke all man[ner] wills by me spooken made or written Before
4 the date of this my last Will. In the first I bequeth my soule to god almyghty to o[u]r lady seynt mary to seynt dorothee
5 and to all the saynts of heven And my Body to be buried in the church of Swafham Beforesaid before the chantry
6 awlter Ite[m] I bequeth to the high awlter xx s Ite[m] to the repa[rat]ion of the Chantry awlter xx s Ite[m] I will that
7 xxvj s viij d be taken yerely of the issues and proffitts of my man[or] in Holm Hale to the augmenta[t]ion of the Chantry
8 of myne Uncle Symond Blake to pray for my soule and my fader Edmund Blake and Elizabeth his weif And for
9 the soules of Jane and Elizabeth my wiffs And I will that the Chantry preest for the time beyng shall say de
10 profundis att the lavatory etc and to reherse the names beforesaid Ite[m] I will have a lampe Burnyng after
11 the man[ner] of the lampe of Symond Blake Beforesaid Ite[m] I will have another honest preest during the terme of my
12 liffe and Elizabeth my weif and of eche of us longest lyvinge to synge at the said chantry awlter but he be other
13 wise required by the Vicar of the said Church for the tyme beynge etc Ite[m] I bequeth to the repa[ra]tion of the churche
14 and the stepell there x marks It[em] I will that Elizabeth my weif shal[l ]have hir dwelling in my place at Swafham
15 the time of her liff and hir assignees and executors and by the space of a yere next aftir hir decesse And I will
16 that my said wiffe shal[l ]have ij th[ousan]d schepe that is to say xv h[undre]d of ewys and v h[undre]d weders and the pasturyng of
17 them in Swafham and Sporle And all my plate and jewells except the things that shal[l ]be rehersed here aftir
18 in this my Will Ite[m] I will that my said wif have all the stuffe and utensills p[er]teynyng to my household etc Ite[m] I
19 will that my said wif have the issues and profitts of all the lands and ten[emen]ts concc[e]rnyng hir Joynture and the
20 closes called Reyners the tene[men]t of Lyff etc. It[em] I will that Raffe Blake before named shal[l ]have all my lands and ten[emen]ts
21 w[i]th the p[er]tinencs in Swafham Sporle and Cotys aft[er] my decesse of me and my before said wief Elizabeth to hym and to his
22 heirs male for ev[er]more and ther to beer the name of Blake as it is before rehersed It[e]m I will that if the said Raffe dye
23 w[i]t[h]out issue male etc that then all thee lands and ten[emen]ts to hym before named remayn to the heirs male of John
24 Brampton and they to beer the name of Blake etc And if they dye w[i]t[h]oute heir male then I will that all the said
25 lands and ten[emen]ts be sold by myn executors or by the executors of myn executors by the advise of my wief maste[r]
26 Roger Townesende and William Heyr under the peyn of forfeture of this my grante etc Ite[m] I will that my sister
27 Jane Brampton have v m[a]r[k]s in money and I will that hir sone Thomas have other v m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that my
28 sister margarett have v li in money Ite[m] I will that hir daughter Elizabeth have v li And her daughter margaret v li
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29 And if oon decesse to Remayn to the oder lyving at the tyme of hir mariage And if both decesse etc than to
30 remayn unto my wif and to Raffe Blake Ite[m] I will that the said Margarett Danyell my sister have the forgifte
31 of viij li aft[er] my decesse Ite[m] I will that Henry Danyell have xx m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that my place in Walsokyn be sold
32 by myn executors etc And the money therof comyng to be resir[v]ed to bye as mykill land in this countrey to the use
33 of my wif during her liff and the rev[er]sion to Raffe Blake Beforesaid Ite[m] I will that Alayn Loveden have xx li in
34 money and other xx li in corn and catall Ite[m] I will that the said Alayn Loveden have xl s yerely thru of his liffe
35 w[i]t[h] this condi[t]ion that he will wayte and attend unto my wif Ite[m] I will that all myn oth[er] servints and shepherds
36 beyng in my sevice at the tyme of my deth have eche of them their wags and xl s in money Ite[m] I will that
37 Margarett Bokkyng of Longh[a]m have v m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that mistres Townesend the wif of Roger Townesend
38 have xx ewes And Sir Thomas Woodhouse 10 weders and my lady his wif x ewes Ite[m] I will mistres Cressymer
39 th[e ]elder have x ewys Ite[m] I will that Sir Robert Lovell have xl ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] I will that Elizabeth Lovell
40 my wiffs goddaughter have vj ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] to Sir Robert Southwell xl hoggs and to my lady his wif
41 x ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] I will that the church of Holme Hale have to the repa[ra]tion x s Ite[m] to the church off
42 North Pykenh[a]m vj s viij d. Ite[m] to the church of Same vj s viij d Ite[m] to the church of Asshill vj s viij d Ite[m] to the
43 church of Sporle vj s viij d Ite[m] to the church of Howton vjs viij d Ite[m] to the church of South Pykenh[a]m Shingh[a]m
44 And to the church ov[er]seers in Beachamwell ech of them vj s viij d to the repa[ra]tions of the churches beforesaid
45 Ite[m] I will tat yche order of freers of Norwich and Lynne have yche of theym x s to be distributed amongs[t]
46 theym Ite[m] to the Nonnes of Marh[a]m and Shuldh[a]m yche of theyn x s And to the houses of Blakeborough and
47 Crabbehouse ech of theym vj s viij d distributed amongst theym Ite[m] I will have a trentall immediatly aft[er] my
48 decesse att Lynn etc Ite[m] to the blak freers of Thetford And to the monnys of the same towne eche of theym vj s
49 viij d in likewise Ite[m] I will that the prio[r] pentney have xl ewys they to be sold and the prio[r] to have of
50 the price of the said shepe xl d And the residue to be distributed to hym and to his brethern for A dirge and
51 masse of Requiem And in lykewise of all placs of Religion before named Ite[m] I will that the prio[r] of Westacr[e]
52 and the Co[n]vent have xl li hoggs for a dirge etc Ite[m] to the proio[r] of Castellacr[e] and to his co[n]vent xl hoggs
53 And I will that the prio[r]s of both the placs before rehersed have ij mennys parts of the said catell Ite[m] I will
54 that ev[er]y preest beyng at my dirge have iiij d ev[er]y man syngyng in the wood 1 d and ev[er]y chyld that can helpe
55 a preest to syng ob Ite[m] I will that x li be distributed at my buryng day and att my xxx th day amongst poore
56 folke Ite[m] I will that Thomas Styward and his weif have xiij s iiij d Ite[m] to M[aste]r. John Serrant and to his weif
57 x d Ite[m] to Thomas Blake vj s viij d Ite[m] to the wife of Robert Wynrese iij s iiij d Ite[m[ I will that Sir John Blake
58 have v m[a]r[k]s etc Ite[m] I will that Symond Coo and his wif have vj s viij d Ite[m] to Robert Sadller and his wif vj s
59 viij d Ite[m] to Alice Sadller th[e ]elder xx d And to Mawde Turpyn and to eche of the women beyng in those Almes
60 houses xx d Ite][m] to margarett Danyel vj s viij d Ite]m[ to Davy Moone vj s viij d Ite[m[ to Thebald Brett xx d Ite[m] to
61 Walter Payn xx d Ite[m] to William xl d Ite[m] to mistres Anne Buttys vj weders hoggs etc Ite][m[ to John Oxborow
62 my tawney gowne lyned w[i]t[h] Russett freise and his wif xx d Ite[m[ to Elizabeth Powlye s[er]vint of my wif v m[a]r[k]s
63 Ite[m] I will that x li be expended in the exhibi[t]ion of Thomas Blome to make hym a preest etc The Residue
64 of my goods not bequethed I geve and bequeth to Elizabeth my wif to Roger Townesend Esquyer and to William
65 Eyre gentelman Whom I ordeyne myn executors to dispose for my soule as they thinke moost expedient etc
66 Thes witneses m[aste]r John Carter vicar of Swafh[a]m m[aste]r John Serrant notary Thomas Blake John Blake clerk
Thomas Blake Esquire was the son of Edmund Blake and Symond Blake was his uncle. He does not mention having a brother in this will. His only son is Raffe (Ralph would be the modern equivalent). Thomas has two sisters Margaret married to Henry Danyell and Jane married to unknown Brampton. He must not have any brothers as he desires that if Raffe dies without heirs that his sister's son inherit his lands and take on the name Blake which is rather interesting.
The Visitation of Norfolk 1563, 1589 and 1613 has an entry for Blake which begins with John (should be Peter and this was an error made in the original transcription) Blake of Swaffam married to the sister of Sir John Spilman, knight (and her name is known to be Elizabeth). Their son Jasper married Agnes Pygott. Their son Peter married Beatrix Batchcroft (and they had another son Henry and a daughter Alice). The son of Peter and Beatrix were Jasper, John, Thomas and Frances in order of birth. Jasper married Anne Amyas and they had two children Jasper and Beatrix. However if this family is part of the family in the visitation Thomas was left off. Sir John Blake, Clerk of Swaffham is a brother to Peter Blake married to Elizabeth Spelman by the visitation.
Edmund is the father of this Thomas and he would appear by online charts to be the son of Thomas Blake and Elizabeth unknown and their children were Edmund Blake, Simon Blake and Peter Blake. This Peter Blake appears to be the Peter who was married to Elizabeth Spilman. Hence it would appear that this Thomas is a cousin to the Blakes listed in the Visitation.
There is some information in British History Online with regard to the holdings of Simon Blake and the charity which he set up "the altar of the chantry of Simon Blake.:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=78245
In the 14th of Henry VI. Thomas Styward of Swaffham-Market, son and heir of Thomas Styward of the same, deceased, granted to John Walpole, clerk, vicar of Swaffham, Thomas Beaupre of Well, John Heylet, chaplain, Osbert Mundford of Hokewold, Adam Mundford of Feltwell, and John Spelman of Stow-Bydon, and their heirs, his manor of Haspale in Swaffham Market, with liberty of a freefold, together with 50 acres of land in one piece at Shortlyng, called Estgate-brech, and liberty of driving the sheep to the moor of Cootys to water. And in 1436, John Walpole, Thomas Beaupre, &c. granted to Sir Thomas Tudenham, Knt. Thomas Shuldham, Jeffry Norris, Ralph Geyton, and William Prentys, their manor of Aspale, and appointed John Blake, and John Sowle, their attorneys, to deliver seizin. After this, it was held by Hugh Fenne, and by his daughter and heir Cecily, it came to Thomas Ludford of Westminster, scrivener; and in 1473, was on the death of Ludford, conveyed by William Alburgh citizen and mercer of London, (on whom it was settled in trust) to Henry Spelman, Simon Blake, &c.; but in the following year, Anthony Woodvill Earl of Rivers, and Lord Scales, &c. (the lord, as I take it, who held it in capite) granted to Richard Southwell, Henry Heydon, Esq. Edmund Clere, Henry Spelman, &c. his manor of Aspales, late Hugh Fenn's; and in 1475, Robert Southwell, &c. enfeoffed Symond Blake, William Grey, Roger Townsend, Thomas Brampton, &c. in the said manor, and the said Roger Townsend, Thomas Brampton, &c. resigned all their right in the said manor, to Symond Blake, Gent. and Robert Fuller, clerk, for the sole use of Blake.
This Simon Blake, by will dated 10th December, 1487, gives his manors called Haspalds and Whitesondes, to be settled on feoffees to find for ever, an honest and secular chaplain, not instituted into any vicarage, rectory, or free chapel, or other spiritual benefice, but to officiate, and daily say Matins, the Hours, Mass at 7 every morning, and Vespers, and all divine offices, and on all festivals, and when ever service is sung by note, to assist in the church, with other chaplains and clerks, in singing in the choir there, and to pray especially for the health of his soul, his wife Joan's, his parents, Thomas Blake, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, Robert Heigham, Esq. Margaret, Richard, and John Aleyn, John Bocking, and Joan, late wife of Thomas Bocking, Esq. and all his benefactors, and faithful deceased, to be called Blake's chantry priest, and his chantry was the south transept chapel of the church of Swaffham, where he lies buried under a marble stone near the altar of Our Lady of Pity; (fn. 18) and the said altar to be called the altar of the chantry of Simon Blake, the priest to have 8 marks per annum, to be paid on the four quarter days, by equal payments; a new chantry priest is to be chosen on the death of the old one, by the vicar of Swaffham for the time being, the churchwardens, and 5 at least of his 16 feoffees; and on their neglect to choose in the space of 8 weeks from the voidance, then the nomination and election to be in the master of St. Martin's-College at Thompson in Norfolk; and when his 16 feoffees are reduced by death to six, they are to renew the feoffment to themselves and 10 more; the vicar and churchwardens are always to receive the profits and manage the estates, pay the priest, &c. He gave also 5l. to be placed in a chest in the church, out of which, 5s. may be borrowed by any poor person of this town on pledges, but no one to have more than 5s. at a time: he gives an alms-house for four poor people, and to Trinity gild here 10 ewes and 5 sheep; a cup of silver gilt, to the church of Swaffham, formerly Mr. John Botewright's, rector of that church; to Margaret Heigham of Marham (the abbess) 4s. per annum out of a close in Holm-Hale, and after the death of the said Margaret to be settled on the said nuns for their clothing; to every priest at Swaffham 12d.; to every clerk 6d.; to the boys of the choir 3d.; to every priest in the hundreds of South-Greenhoe and Clackclose 4d.; for the obit of Edmund Blake late of Hale 40d. per annum. He wills his own obit to be kept yearly, (fn. 19) and gives to every priest officiating at it 4d. to every lay clerk 2d. and to each of the 12 boys choristers there 1d.; 20d. to the poor; to the clerk 4d. and to the sexton for ringing 4d. and appoints a lamp to burn by his grave on all holidays and Lordsdays from matins, to compline, and the bellman of the town of Swaffham to take care of it, and to have 4d. per annum; Sir Roger Townshend, Knt. and the Lady Ann Wyngfield were supervisors of his will. (fn. 20)
Thomas' will continued this chantry and added more money to the charity.
One is left to wonder if Raffe Blake died and one of his aunt's son changed his name to Blake thus keeping the property of Thomas in the family name.
The accuracy of this particular information following has not been checked by me and is an entry in wikisource.
Simon Blake of Swaffham left in his will in 1489 to Thomas his nephew the manor of Virley which can be found in the following webpage:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_Norfolk/Volume_6#Holm_Manor
Virley's Manor
Takes its name from its lord; Roger de Virley was lord in the 1st of King John, and exchanged lands at Waketon in Berkshire, with Robert de Cley and Avice his wife, for lands here; and in the 8th of Edward I. Hugh Virley died seized of it.
Simon Blake of Swaffham, Gent. left by his will, in 1489, to Thomas Blake, his nephew, the manor of Virley's, in North and South Pickenham; in the 11th of Henry VI. a fine was levied between John Smith, &c. querents, John Wheeler and Anne his wife, defendants, of a moiety of this manor, and several messuages, &c. conveyed to Smith; and in the said year there was another fine, between John Parker, &c. querents, and John Wheeler, and Anne his wife, defendants, of the other moiety; and in the 6th of Edward VI. a fine was levied between Anthony Beding field, querent, William More, and Margaret his wife, defendants, of the 4th part of the manor of Francham, alias Bures Virleys, &c. It was sold by the Bedingfields, lords of Hale, to Naylour, and Francis Naylour, Esq. was lord in 1687, and from the Naylours it was conveyed to Dr. Cannon, late Dean of Lincoln, in whose family it still remains.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/15/343
Testator: Thomas Blake
Place: Swafham Market, Norfolk, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 18 Nov 1505, probated 12 Dec 1506
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] Test[ament] Thome
[Margin] Blake
1 In dei nomine amen I Thomas Blake of Swafh[a]m M[ar]ket Esquyer in full mynde and hole
2 remembrance beynge the xviij day of Novembr[e] in the yere of our lord god 15 hundred and fyve make and ordeyne this
3 to be my last will and very testam[en]t and noon[e] other for I Revoke all man[ner] wills by me spooken made or written Before
4 the date of this my last Will. In the first I bequeth my soule to god almyghty to o[u]r lady seynt mary to seynt dorothee
5 and to all the saynts of heven And my Body to be buried in the church of Swafham Beforesaid before the chantry
6 awlter Ite[m] I bequeth to the high awlter xx s Ite[m] to the repa[rat]ion of the Chantry awlter xx s Ite[m] I will that
7 xxvj s viij d be taken yerely of the issues and proffitts of my man[or] in Holm Hale to the augmenta[t]ion of the Chantry
8 of myne Uncle Symond Blake to pray for my soule and my fader Edmund Blake and Elizabeth his weif And for
9 the soules of Jane and Elizabeth my wiffs And I will that the Chantry preest for the time beyng shall say de
10 profundis att the lavatory etc and to reherse the names beforesaid Ite[m] I will have a lampe Burnyng after
11 the man[ner] of the lampe of Symond Blake Beforesaid Ite[m] I will have another honest preest during the terme of my
12 liffe and Elizabeth my weif and of eche of us longest lyvinge to synge at the said chantry awlter but he be other
13 wise required by the Vicar of the said Church for the tyme beynge etc Ite[m] I bequeth to the repa[ra]tion of the churche
14 and the stepell there x marks It[em] I will that Elizabeth my weif shal[l ]have hir dwelling in my place at Swafham
15 the time of her liff and hir assignees and executors and by the space of a yere next aftir hir decesse And I will
16 that my said wiffe shal[l ]have ij th[ousan]d schepe that is to say xv h[undre]d of ewys and v h[undre]d weders and the pasturyng of
17 them in Swafham and Sporle And all my plate and jewells except the things that shal[l ]be rehersed here aftir
18 in this my Will Ite[m] I will that my said wif have all the stuffe and utensills p[er]teynyng to my household etc Ite[m] I
19 will that my said wif have the issues and profitts of all the lands and ten[emen]ts concc[e]rnyng hir Joynture and the
20 closes called Reyners the tene[men]t of Lyff etc. It[em] I will that Raffe Blake before named shal[l ]have all my lands and ten[emen]ts
21 w[i]th the p[er]tinencs in Swafham Sporle and Cotys aft[er] my decesse of me and my before said wief Elizabeth to hym and to his
22 heirs male for ev[er]more and ther to beer the name of Blake as it is before rehersed It[e]m I will that if the said Raffe dye
23 w[i]t[h]out issue male etc that then all thee lands and ten[emen]ts to hym before named remayn to the heirs male of John
24 Brampton and they to beer the name of Blake etc And if they dye w[i]t[h]oute heir male then I will that all the said
25 lands and ten[emen]ts be sold by myn executors or by the executors of myn executors by the advise of my wief maste[r]
26 Roger Townesende and William Heyr under the peyn of forfeture of this my grante etc Ite[m] I will that my sister
27 Jane Brampton have v m[a]r[k]s in money and I will that hir sone Thomas have other v m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that my
28 sister margarett have v li in money Ite[m] I will that hir daughter Elizabeth have v li And her daughter margaret v li
[Page 2]
29 And if oon decesse to Remayn to the oder lyving at the tyme of hir mariage And if both decesse etc than to
30 remayn unto my wif and to Raffe Blake Ite[m] I will that the said Margarett Danyell my sister have the forgifte
31 of viij li aft[er] my decesse Ite[m] I will that Henry Danyell have xx m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that my place in Walsokyn be sold
32 by myn executors etc And the money therof comyng to be resir[v]ed to bye as mykill land in this countrey to the use
33 of my wif during her liff and the rev[er]sion to Raffe Blake Beforesaid Ite[m] I will that Alayn Loveden have xx li in
34 money and other xx li in corn and catall Ite[m] I will that the said Alayn Loveden have xl s yerely thru of his liffe
35 w[i]t[h] this condi[t]ion that he will wayte and attend unto my wif Ite[m] I will that all myn oth[er] servints and shepherds
36 beyng in my sevice at the tyme of my deth have eche of them their wags and xl s in money Ite[m] I will that
37 Margarett Bokkyng of Longh[a]m have v m[a]r[k]s Ite[m] I will that mistres Townesend the wif of Roger Townesend
38 have xx ewes And Sir Thomas Woodhouse 10 weders and my lady his wif x ewes Ite[m] I will mistres Cressymer
39 th[e ]elder have x ewys Ite[m] I will that Sir Robert Lovell have xl ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] I will that Elizabeth Lovell
40 my wiffs goddaughter have vj ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] to Sir Robert Southwell xl hoggs and to my lady his wif
41 x ewys w[i]t[h]out lambys Ite[m] I will that the church of Holme Hale have to the repa[ra]tion x s Ite[m] to the church off
42 North Pykenh[a]m vj s viij d. Ite[m] to the church of Same vj s viij d Ite[m] to the church of Asshill vj s viij d Ite[m] to the
43 church of Sporle vj s viij d Ite[m] to the church of Howton vjs viij d Ite[m] to the church of South Pykenh[a]m Shingh[a]m
44 And to the church ov[er]seers in Beachamwell ech of them vj s viij d to the repa[ra]tions of the churches beforesaid
45 Ite[m] I will tat yche order of freers of Norwich and Lynne have yche of theym x s to be distributed amongs[t]
46 theym Ite[m] to the Nonnes of Marh[a]m and Shuldh[a]m yche of theyn x s And to the houses of Blakeborough and
47 Crabbehouse ech of theym vj s viij d distributed amongst theym Ite[m] I will have a trentall immediatly aft[er] my
48 decesse att Lynn etc Ite[m] to the blak freers of Thetford And to the monnys of the same towne eche of theym vj s
49 viij d in likewise Ite[m] I will that the prio[r] pentney have xl ewys they to be sold and the prio[r] to have of
50 the price of the said shepe xl d And the residue to be distributed to hym and to his brethern for A dirge and
51 masse of Requiem And in lykewise of all placs of Religion before named Ite[m] I will that the prio[r] of Westacr[e]
52 and the Co[n]vent have xl li hoggs for a dirge etc Ite[m] to the proio[r] of Castellacr[e] and to his co[n]vent xl hoggs
53 And I will that the prio[r]s of both the placs before rehersed have ij mennys parts of the said catell Ite[m] I will
54 that ev[er]y preest beyng at my dirge have iiij d ev[er]y man syngyng in the wood 1 d and ev[er]y chyld that can helpe
55 a preest to syng ob Ite[m] I will that x li be distributed at my buryng day and att my xxx th day amongst poore
56 folke Ite[m] I will that Thomas Styward and his weif have xiij s iiij d Ite[m] to M[aste]r. John Serrant and to his weif
57 x d Ite[m] to Thomas Blake vj s viij d Ite[m] to the wife of Robert Wynrese iij s iiij d Ite[m[ I will that Sir John Blake
58 have v m[a]r[k]s etc Ite[m] I will that Symond Coo and his wif have vj s viij d Ite[m] to Robert Sadller and his wif vj s
59 viij d Ite[m] to Alice Sadller th[e ]elder xx d And to Mawde Turpyn and to eche of the women beyng in those Almes
60 houses xx d Ite][m] to margarett Danyel vj s viij d Ite]m[ to Davy Moone vj s viij d Ite[m[ to Thebald Brett xx d Ite[m] to
61 Walter Payn xx d Ite[m] to William xl d Ite[m] to mistres Anne Buttys vj weders hoggs etc Ite][m[ to John Oxborow
62 my tawney gowne lyned w[i]t[h] Russett freise and his wif xx d Ite[m[ to Elizabeth Powlye s[er]vint of my wif v m[a]r[k]s
63 Ite[m] I will that x li be expended in the exhibi[t]ion of Thomas Blome to make hym a preest etc The Residue
64 of my goods not bequethed I geve and bequeth to Elizabeth my wif to Roger Townesend Esquyer and to William
65 Eyre gentelman Whom I ordeyne myn executors to dispose for my soule as they thinke moost expedient etc
66 Thes witneses m[aste]r John Carter vicar of Swafh[a]m m[aste]r John Serrant notary Thomas Blake John Blake clerk
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Will of Joseph Blake Mariner and Cooper of Whitechapel, Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/330/282, probated 31 Jul 1669
Joseph Blake's will has been a very difficult transcription. There are still a number of blanks although the gist of the will is all there. A Mariner, Joseph Blake, is leaving his statement as he heads off but the ship on which he is sailing has not been named other than an S and then an And on the next line. It is possible that this is the full name of the ship with a couple of letters missing after the S and they could be "tr" but the writing is very very faint.
There is a marriage for William Langley and Hannah Blake 6 Oct 1646 at Holy Trinity Minories in London. This will is written twenty one years later.
I now move on to the single Blake will at Norfolk that I have. It was written by Thomas Blake of Swafham Market, Norfolk, in 1506 and true to my first pursuit of Blake wills I chose the oldest Blake will/wills in each county.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/330/282
Testator: Joseph Blake, Mariner and Cooper of Whitechapel
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 13 Jan 1667, probated 31 Jul 1669
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing too light in spots to transcribe clearly but otherwise good
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin] Josephi
[Margin] Blake
1 Know all men by these presents That
2 I Joseph Blak of Lower Wappin and parish of Mary White Chappell al[ia]s
3 Matfellen in the County of Midd[lesex] Marriner and Coop[er] Being bound out on S-
4 and not knowing how T[he ]Almighty god may dispose of mee I doe soe
5 and for divers other causes and valuable ______ now thereunto monting
6 I doe hereby these partes Assigne ordaine depute and put in my steed and place I
7 doe nominate constitute and appoint my trusted and wellbeloved Mother dorothie
8 Blake and Anna Langly, my sister wife of William Langle of the same place as
9 aforesaid Watterman, To bee my true and lawfull Attorney deputie and Assignee
10 Irevocable for mee and in my name and steed and to my sole use To alsoe issue
11 Recover and to receive of any person or persons whatsoever All and Singuler such
12 debts rents wages bills lends debt _____ dutjes _____ Trustts pensions Legacies or
13 any summe or summes of money now due and oweing unto mee or hereafter shall become
14 due or owing unto mee the said Joseph Blake for any service done and performance in
15 the Kinges most Excellent Ma[jesti]es Service As in Merchante affaires Giveing and by mye
16 parts granting unto my said Mothere Dorothy Blake and Anna Langle aforesaid
17 by vertue of these presents my full power and Authoritie in and about the possession
18 yf need shall require to use upon implied condi[t]ione and Imprison every of my
19 debtors aforesaid And them or any of them out of prison deliver or cause to bee
20 delivered and upon the Receipt of any summe of money either in part or in hole soe
21 received for my use or any of the purposes ye think Do give Acquitt ____or any other
22 Assignes in the Law for the same as mee and in my name and _________________
23 me deliver as my Good and ____ or more ___ make and
24 and the same ___ And all and every ___ or things ___ as
25 ___ some in or alone the ____ by trustee or their persons
26 and __ at and whatsoever __ said ___ shall soe
27 done in or about this same But yf it shall please Almighty God I shall die
28 and ___ I will and this my note intended
29 mynde will and _____ is I being of a sound minde and a perfect memorie
30 praesed bee God for the same I doe hereby ______ of these presents make this
31 my last Will and Testament In manner and forme following vi[z a vi]t I commend
32 my Soule unto God my maker hopeing to bee Saved by the alone merritts of Jesus
33 Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer And as for all my worldie goods I am
34 owner of or soon or any waies or meanes I shall become owner of here after
35 I doe hereby give unto my said Mother and Sister above named making them
36 my sole Executrixes of all and singular the premisses aforesaid in whose hand
[Page 2]
37 Custody and possession they may or shall bee found either of such my whole hands
38 either in shipp or shipps or one the shore to become whollie theres there Executors
39 and administrators by vertue of this my will Giveing unto all my Relations
40 kindred or any other person that shall lay any claime Title w[ith]/Interest to the
41 same Estate or any part thereof, six pence a peece In witnes Whereof I have
42 hereunto this put writing put to my hand and seale This Thirteenth day
43 of January Anno d[o]m[in]i One Thousand Six hundred Sixty Seaven And in the
44 Nineteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord the King Charles the 2
45 of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith etc Joseph Blake
46 Signed sealed and delivered in the p[rese]nce of us Joanna Butler her marke
47 William Ambrose Scr
There is a marriage for William Langley and Hannah Blake 6 Oct 1646 at Holy Trinity Minories in London. This will is written twenty one years later.
I now move on to the single Blake will at Norfolk that I have. It was written by Thomas Blake of Swafham Market, Norfolk, in 1506 and true to my first pursuit of Blake wills I chose the oldest Blake will/wills in each county.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/330/282
Testator: Joseph Blake, Mariner and Cooper of Whitechapel
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 13 Jan 1667, probated 31 Jul 1669
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing too light in spots to transcribe clearly but otherwise good
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin] Josephi
[Margin] Blake
1 Know all men by these presents That
2 I Joseph Blak of Lower Wappin and parish of Mary White Chappell al[ia]s
3 Matfellen in the County of Midd[lesex] Marriner and Coop[er] Being bound out on S-
4 and not knowing how T[he ]Almighty god may dispose of mee I doe soe
5 and for divers other causes and valuable ______ now thereunto monting
6 I doe hereby these partes Assigne ordaine depute and put in my steed and place I
7 doe nominate constitute and appoint my trusted and wellbeloved Mother dorothie
8 Blake and Anna Langly, my sister wife of William Langle of the same place as
9 aforesaid Watterman, To bee my true and lawfull Attorney deputie and Assignee
10 Irevocable for mee and in my name and steed and to my sole use To alsoe issue
11 Recover and to receive of any person or persons whatsoever All and Singuler such
12 debts rents wages bills lends debt _____ dutjes _____ Trustts pensions Legacies or
13 any summe or summes of money now due and oweing unto mee or hereafter shall become
14 due or owing unto mee the said Joseph Blake for any service done and performance in
15 the Kinges most Excellent Ma[jesti]es Service As in Merchante affaires Giveing and by mye
16 parts granting unto my said Mothere Dorothy Blake and Anna Langle aforesaid
17 by vertue of these presents my full power and Authoritie in and about the possession
18 yf need shall require to use upon implied condi[t]ione and Imprison every of my
19 debtors aforesaid And them or any of them out of prison deliver or cause to bee
20 delivered and upon the Receipt of any summe of money either in part or in hole soe
21 received for my use or any of the purposes ye think Do give Acquitt ____or any other
22 Assignes in the Law for the same as mee and in my name and _________________
23 me deliver as my Good and ____ or more ___ make and
24 and the same ___ And all and every ___ or things ___ as
25 ___ some in or alone the ____ by trustee or their persons
26 and __ at and whatsoever __ said ___ shall soe
27 done in or about this same But yf it shall please Almighty God I shall die
28 and ___ I will and this my note intended
29 mynde will and _____ is I being of a sound minde and a perfect memorie
30 praesed bee God for the same I doe hereby ______ of these presents make this
31 my last Will and Testament In manner and forme following vi[z a vi]t I commend
32 my Soule unto God my maker hopeing to bee Saved by the alone merritts of Jesus
33 Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer And as for all my worldie goods I am
34 owner of or soon or any waies or meanes I shall become owner of here after
35 I doe hereby give unto my said Mother and Sister above named making them
36 my sole Executrixes of all and singular the premisses aforesaid in whose hand
[Page 2]
37 Custody and possession they may or shall bee found either of such my whole hands
38 either in shipp or shipps or one the shore to become whollie theres there Executors
39 and administrators by vertue of this my will Giveing unto all my Relations
40 kindred or any other person that shall lay any claime Title w[ith]/Interest to the
41 same Estate or any part thereof, six pence a peece In witnes Whereof I have
42 hereunto this put writing put to my hand and seale This Thirteenth day
43 of January Anno d[o]m[in]i One Thousand Six hundred Sixty Seaven And in the
44 Nineteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord the King Charles the 2
45 of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith etc Joseph Blake
46 Signed sealed and delivered in the p[rese]nce of us Joanna Butler her marke
47 William Ambrose Scr
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Will of Anne Blake, widow of London - National Archives PROB 11/714/69, probated 23 Dec 1741
I bought this will a couple of years ago because I hoped it might answer a couple of questions about the Blake family descendant of the Andover Blake family. It did not as Anne Blake is married to Thomas Blake and they are in Shoreditch where I do not find the Blake family of Andover.
There is an Ann Blake from Kings Land Road buried 23 Dec 1741 at St Leonard Shoreditch at the age of 57 years. There is a Thomas Blake from Kings Land buried 21 Dec 1739 so likely he is the husband of Anne as he too is buried at St Leonard, Shoreditch and he was 51 years old.
There are two baptisms on Ancestry at St Mary Whitechapel Middlesex which is just 0.3 miles from Shoreditch, Middlesex. The parents are listed as Thomas and Ann and the two children Frances Blake 5 Jun 1708 and Martha 23 Jul 1706. However both of these children are girls and it is the daughter in law Martha Blake that is one of the legatees. Thomas would have been rather young (18) when Martha was born. There is always of course the possibility that this was a second marriage for Thomas and that the daughter in law refers actually to Thomas' daughter Martha as no husband is actually mentioned.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 5 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/714/69
Testator: Anne Blake, widow
Place: London, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 17 Oct 1741, probated 23 Dec 1741
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: scan, smudges, middle to modern English writing good, smudged but legible
[Margin]: Anne
[Margin]: Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen
2 I Anne Blake Widow do make my last Will and Testament as
3 follows first desire that all my just debts Funeral Charges
4 and probat of this my Will be fully paid and discharged and
5 I desire to be buried in Shoreditch Church as near to my late
6 dear husband Thomas Blake as possible also I give all my
7 wearing apparell whatsoever to be equally divided between
8 my daughter in Law Martha Blake and my Servant Catherine
9 [surname not given] share and share alike also all the rest present residue and
10 remainder of my estate both Real and personal whatsoever
11 and wheresoever and of what nature kind of quality soever
12 I give devise and bequeath the same to Mr John Higginson
13 and the above named Martha Blake and Catherine [surname not given]
14 to be equally divided between them share and share alike and I
15 do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Mr John
16 Higginson sole Executor of this my Will hereby revoking all
17 former Willes by me here before made In Witnes of whereof I
18 have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Seventh day of
19 October one Thousand seven hundred and forty one Ann
20 Blake [signed] Signed sealed published and declared by the said
21 Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the
22 presence of Sarah Looyet Sarah Wrayfield Bainbrig Smart
23 This Will was proved at London before the
24 Worshipfull Robert Chapman Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of
25 the Right Worshipful Colin Butterworth also doctor of Laws
26 also Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court
27 of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the Twenty third day
28 of December in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven
29 hundred and forty one by the oath of John Higginson the
30 sole Executor named named in the said Will to whom was
31 granted administration of all and singular the Goods Chattells
32 and Credits of the said deceased being first sworn duly to
33 ademinister the same.
There is an Ann Blake from Kings Land Road buried 23 Dec 1741 at St Leonard Shoreditch at the age of 57 years. There is a Thomas Blake from Kings Land buried 21 Dec 1739 so likely he is the husband of Anne as he too is buried at St Leonard, Shoreditch and he was 51 years old.
There are two baptisms on Ancestry at St Mary Whitechapel Middlesex which is just 0.3 miles from Shoreditch, Middlesex. The parents are listed as Thomas and Ann and the two children Frances Blake 5 Jun 1708 and Martha 23 Jul 1706. However both of these children are girls and it is the daughter in law Martha Blake that is one of the legatees. Thomas would have been rather young (18) when Martha was born. There is always of course the possibility that this was a second marriage for Thomas and that the daughter in law refers actually to Thomas' daughter Martha as no husband is actually mentioned.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 5 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/714/69
Testator: Anne Blake, widow
Place: London, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 17 Oct 1741, probated 23 Dec 1741
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: scan, smudges, middle to modern English writing good, smudged but legible
[Margin]: Anne
[Margin]: Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen
2 I Anne Blake Widow do make my last Will and Testament as
3 follows first desire that all my just debts Funeral Charges
4 and probat of this my Will be fully paid and discharged and
5 I desire to be buried in Shoreditch Church as near to my late
6 dear husband Thomas Blake as possible also I give all my
7 wearing apparell whatsoever to be equally divided between
8 my daughter in Law Martha Blake and my Servant Catherine
9 [surname not given] share and share alike also all the rest present residue and
10 remainder of my estate both Real and personal whatsoever
11 and wheresoever and of what nature kind of quality soever
12 I give devise and bequeath the same to Mr John Higginson
13 and the above named Martha Blake and Catherine [surname not given]
14 to be equally divided between them share and share alike and I
15 do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Mr John
16 Higginson sole Executor of this my Will hereby revoking all
17 former Willes by me here before made In Witnes of whereof I
18 have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Seventh day of
19 October one Thousand seven hundred and forty one Ann
20 Blake [signed] Signed sealed published and declared by the said
21 Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the
22 presence of Sarah Looyet Sarah Wrayfield Bainbrig Smart
23 This Will was proved at London before the
24 Worshipfull Robert Chapman Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of
25 the Right Worshipful Colin Butterworth also doctor of Laws
26 also Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court
27 of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the Twenty third day
28 of December in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven
29 hundred and forty one by the oath of John Higginson the
30 sole Executor named named in the said Will to whom was
31 granted administration of all and singular the Goods Chattells
32 and Credits of the said deceased being first sworn duly to
33 ademinister the same.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Will of Christopher Blake of Kensington, Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/338/462, probated 11 Apr 1672
Christopher Blake is the testator and he was mentioned in his father's will blogged a few days ago:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of-inner.html
Again we can place this family into the Swindon and Wiltshire Blake Pedigree Chart as he mentions his cousins Francis Blake and William Blake entrusting them with the overseeing of his properties. Their father Thomas was a brother to Christopher's grandfather William. By this time his cousins Francis and William are in their 60s.
This Blake line is daughtering out with this family but of course that means that other surnames are continuing - it is a win lose situation and there are still plenty of people with the Blake surname in the world. My own line daughters out with my generation although I have four brothers but none of them have a son.
This will reveals interesting details that Mary Blake (sister to the Testator and Ann) was married 16 May 1655 at Saint Christopher Le Stocks, London to Nicholas Harris.
The Parish Register for Saint Christopher Le Stocks in online at Ancestry and the text reads as follows [Margin: Nicho: Harris and Mary Blake]:
"These are to certify all whome it doth or may concerne, according to an Act of Parliament concerning Marriages and bearing date ye 24th of August 1653 an intention of marriage betweene Nicholas Barry of ye parish of [St] Peters [West]Cheape, London and Mary Blake of the parish of Christofer London was by joint consent published three successive Lords daies in ye parish Church of Christofer aforesaid viz[ a vi]t on the 22th and the 29th of Aprill 1655 and the 6th of May following.
Nicholas Harris of the Parish of Peters Cheape London and Mary Blake of this parish of Christopher London were on the 16 day of May 1655 marryed before mee Robert Tichburne esq[ui]re etc and one of the justices of Peace for ye City of London in the presence of two credible witnesses according to a late Act of parliament in that behalfe made and married.”
As Mary Harris widow she married Joseph Dorney although I have not yet found this marriage.
Red Rose Street mentioned in the will has a writeup in British History Online:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=46110
Rose Street
A comparison of the modern map with those of Rocque or Horwood (Plates 7, 8) will show how the original character of Rose Street has been obscured by changes made in the 1860's. The construction of Garrick Street deprived the southern arm of its identity as a street of houses, which is now apparent only in the drawing of 1851 reproduced on Plate 50b, while the westward extension of Hart (now Floral) Street broke across the long narrow alley-like approach to Long Acre. The circumstances in which this tortuous and ill-favoured link between that street and Covent Garden had come into being in 1638– 1640 are described on page 268.
Something of the haste with which at least the greater part of the street was developed is apparent in the St. Martin's ratebooks, where a score or more of ratepayers were assessed in 1640 but none in previous years. In this ratebook the street is designated Red Rose Street, which was the name originally given to the southernmost north-south arm (ref. 185) and to the east-west arm. (ref. 186) The northern arm was originally called White Rose Street (ref. 186) and its appearance in the ratebooks has not been certainly identified, but, if not included in the Red Rose Street section, it cannot have preceded it by more than a year or two. (ref. 187) On Lacy's 1673 map (Plate 2) and later maps the distinction of nomenclature is not observed. (fn. a)
All of the street was laid out beyond the wall made in c. 1610 to enclose the centre of Covent Garden (see page 24). The greater part (including virtually all that now surviving) was built on land already sold off by the fourth Earl of Bedford in 1635, (ref. 188) and most of this was left in St. Martin's parish when the boundary of the chapelry and parish of St. Paul was delimited.
Lacy's map of 1673 shows the east-west arm extending westward beyond the point where the northern arm turned off, and subsequent maps show a connexion here with another alley running into Long Acre called Angell Alley: this western extension of Rose Street has now been swallowed up in Garrick Street.
British History Online has a section on Brompton Road, North Side which pertains to the family of Sir William Blake
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50007
Like much of eastern Kensington, this property belonged in the early seventeenth century to Sir William Blake, being part of the hundred acres of meadow and pasture land in St. Margaret's Westminster, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Kensington which that gentleman owned at his death in 1630. (ref. 2) Subsequently it passed to the Tatham family, which by 1675 also held thirty-three acres of copyhold land in Kensington, including the thirteen acres adjoining westwards to this freehold, where Brompton Square, Holy Trinity Church, and the Oratory now stand. (ref. 3) By 1691) the freehold property belonged to Thomas Powell of Hackney, citizen and cutler of London, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Tatham of Clapham. (ref. 4) They disposed of it in 1717 to Peter Laroche, and he duly resold it the following year to Philip Moreau (1656–1733), who since 1705 seems to have been the owner of the thin strip of land previously referred to immediately south-west of Knightsbridge Green, later the site of Nos. 38–58A Brompton Road. (ref. 5)
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 17 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/338/462
Testator: Christopher Blake of Kensington
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:6 Mar 1671, probated 11 Apr 1672
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Christopheri
[Margin]: Blake arm
1 In the Name of God Amen
2 I Christopher Blake of Brompton in the parish of Kensington in the
3 County of Midd[lese]x Esq[ui]re being infirme of body but of good sound and perfect
4 mind and memory and understanding praised be God knowing the certainty of
5 death and the incertainty of the time thereof doe this Sixth day of March One
6 Thousand Six hundred Seventy and One Make and declare this my last Will
7 and Testament in writeing in manner and forme following First and principally
8 I commend my immortall Soule into the hands of God that gave it trusting by and
9 through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and
10 Redeemer to receive a glorious Resurrection amongst the Just My body I leave
11 to the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried in the parish Church of
12 Kensington att the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named Item I give to
13 the poore of the parish of Kensington as much as my said Executrix shall thinke
14 fitt to be distributed att the discretion of my said Executrix And whereas I am
15 possessed of severall Leases for yeares severall Messuages and Lands viz[ a vi]t of
16 one Messuage in Holles Street in the parish of Clements Danes in the County
17 of Midd[lese]x held by Lease for divers yeares yet to come of the Right Hono[ura]ble the
18 Earle of Clare and of another Messuage in Clare Street in the said parish of St
19 Clement Danes held of the said Earle by Lease for severall yeares yet to come
20 And of another Messuage in Red Rose Street in Covent Garden in the County of
21 Midd[lese]x And of another Lease of the Messuage I now live in in Brompton aforesaid
22 with the Stables Outhouses Gardens and Orchards thereunto belonging And of
23 divers other Messuages and Lands in Brompton Kensington Chelsey and
24 Westminster in the County of Middlesex held by the said Lease of the Feoffees
25 or Trustees of Henry Smith Esq[ui]re for about Threescore yeares to come Now I
26 hereby will and devise the said Messuage wherein I now dwell with the Stables
27 Outhouses Gardens and Orchards thereunto belonging to Elizabeth my deare
28 and loveing wife for soe many yeares of the said terme as she shall live paying
29 yearely for the same the summe of Five and Twenty pounds and keeping the
30 same in good and Tennantlike repaire And all the said severall Leases I give
31 and devise to my Cosen Francis Blake and William Blake theire Exec[uto]rs
32 Admi[nistrato]rs and assignes for all the severall termes of the said Leases yet to come
33 and unexpired They permitting my said wife to hold and enjoy the premisses
34 to her devises as aforesaid and freeing and dischargeing her from the rent
35 reserved in the originall Lease thereof amongst other things And I hereby
36 declare the said Gift and devise to the said Francis and William Blake to be
37 upon this Trust and confidence that they will from time to time dureing the
38 life of my Sister Mary wife of Joseph Dorney Merchant (if the said Leases
39 respectively soe long continue) pay to such person or persons as the said
40 Mary notwithstanding her coverture and without her husband's consent shall
41 direct or appoint All the cleere rents and proffitts of the premisses (taxes and
42 other charges deducted) And from and after the death of the said Mary shall
43 pay and dispose of such cleere rents and proffitts of the premisses To John Herris
44 sonne of the said Mary by her former husband and the heires of his body And
45 for default of such issue to Anne Dorney daughter of the said Mary and the
46 heires of her body for and dureing all the remainder and remainders of the
47 said severall tenures for yeares then to come and unexpired And for the better
48 payment of my debts Legacies and Funerall expences and out of the intire
49 love and affection I beare to the said Elizabeth my wife and as part of
50 recompence and satisfaction of the promises made to her Freinds when she
51 and they att her request ioyned in Sale of her lands of Inheritance in the
52 County
[Page 2]
53 County of Bedford to settle One hundred and fifty pounds p[er] annum
54 on her for her life I give and devise to the said Elizabeth my wife All my plate
55 household stuffe debts oweing to mee or any other in trust for mee by Mortgage
56 or Recognizance or otherwise and all other my goods and Chattells whatsoever
57 And I make and ordaine the said Elizabeth my wife sole Executrix of this my
58 last Will and Testament hereby revoakeing all former Wills by mee made
59 This is the last Will and Testament of mee the above named Christopher
60 Blake by mee made and declared the day and yeare first above writen touching
61 the disposition of all and Singuler my Messuages Lands Tenements and
62 hereditaments whereof I am seized in possession or have any reversion or
63 remainder in mee I hereby ratify and confirme such Joynture or part of
64 Joynture as was settled on the said Elizabeth my wife before our intermarriage
65 And for further satisfaction of my said promise to settle One hundred and
66 Fifty pounds per annum on my said wife for her life upon her and her freinds
67 joyning with mee in sale of her said lands of Inheritance I give and devise to
68 the said Elizabeth my wife for and dureing the terme of her naturall life Al[so]
69 that Messuage or dwelling house with the Garden Orchard and appurtenances
70 thereunto belonging in Knightsbridge in the said County of Midd[lese]x now or
71 late in the occupation of John Man Esq[ui]re and Mr. Maurice Hunt And all
72 those foure acres of land called Wellfeild lyeing behinde and neare the said
73 last mentioned Messuage And all that Messuage with the appurtenances
74 and foure acres by estimation in Brompton aforesaid in the occupation of
75 Edward Smith or his assignes To have and to hold the same to the said
76 Elizabeth my wife for and dureing the tenure of her naturall life And from and
77 after the decease of my said wife I give and devise all and singuler the said
78 Messuages Lands and premisses to the said Francis Blake and William
79 Blake and theire heires dureing the life of the said Mary Dorney my sister
80 Upon Trust and confidence that they will pay and dispose of the rents and
81 proffitts thereof as my said Sister notwithstanding her Coverture and without
82 the consent of her husband shall direct and appoint And from and after the
83 death of my said Sister I give and devise all and singuler the said Messuages
84 Lands and premisses to the said John Harris for and dureing the tearme
85 of his naturall life And from and after his decease then to the first sonne of
86 the body of the said John Harris lawfully to be begotten and the heires
87 males of the body of such first sonne issueing And for default of such issue
88 then to the second sonne of the body of the said John Herris lawfully to be
89 begotten and the heires males of the body of such second sonne issueing And
90 for default of such issue then to The Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seaventh
91 Eighth Ninth Tenth and all and every other the sonne and sonnes of the
92 body of the said John Herris lawfully to be begotten Severally Successively
93 and respectively one after another as they and every of them shall be in
94 priority of birth and seniority of age And the heires male of the body
95 and bodies of all and every such Sonne and Sonnes The older of the same
96 Sonnes and the heires male of his body being allwayes preferred before
97 the younger of the same sonnes and the heires male of his and theire body
98 and bodies And for default of such issue Then I give and devise the same to
99 the second sonne of the body of the said Mary Dorney lawfully begotten
100 or to be begotten and the heires male of the body of such second sonne
101 issueing And for default of such issue Then to the Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
102 and all and every other the sonne and sonnes of the body of the sayd Mary
103 Dorney lawfully begotten or to be begotten Severally Successively and
104 respectively one after another as they are every of them shall be in
105 priority
[Page 3]
106 Priority of birth and seniority of age and the heires male of the body and
107 bodies of all and every such sonne and sonnes The elder of the same sonnes and the
108 heires male of his body being allwayes preferred before the younger of the
109 same sonnes and the heires male of his and theire body and bodyes And for default
110 of such issue then to all and every the daughter and daughters of the body of
111 the said John Harris lawfully to be begotten and the heires of the body and
112 bodyes of all and every such daughter and daughters And for default of such
113 issue then I give and devise the same to the said Anne Dorney for and
114 dureing the terme of her naturall life And from and after her decease Then
115 to the first sonne of the body of the said Anne Dorney lawfully to be begotten
116 and the heires male of the body of such first sonne issueing And for default of
117 such issue then To the second sonne of the body of the said Ann Dorney lawfully to
118 be begotten and the heires male of the body of such second sonne issueing And
119 for default of such issue then to the Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seaventh and all
120 and every other the Sonne and Sonnes of the body of the said Anne lawfully
121 to be begotten Severally Successively and respectively one after another as
122 they and every of them shall be in priority of birth and Seniority of age and
123 the heires male of the body and bodyes of all and every such Sonne and
124 Sonnes the elder of the same Sonnes and the heires male of his body being
125 allwayes preferred before the younger of the same Sonnes and the
126 heires male of his and theire body and bodyes And for default of such
127 issue Then to all and every the daughter and daughters of the body of the
128 said Mary Dorney and Anne Dorney lawfully to be begotten and the
129 heires of the body and bodyes of all and or ev[er]y such daughter and daughters
130 And for default of such issue then I give and devise the same to the said
131 Elizabeth my wife and her heires for ever And whereas I have surrendered
132 into the hands of the Lord of the Mannor of Earles' Court in the said
133 County of Midd[lese]x All my Coppyhold Lands holden of the same Mannor
134 to the use of my last Will and Testament or such uses as I should declare
135 by my last Will and Testament Now I hereby give and devise All my
136 said Coppyhold lands to the said Anne Dorney and her heires Provided
137 allwayes that if the said John Herris shall pay her Five hundred
138 pounds within the space of three monthes next after he shall accomplish
139 the age of One and Twenty yeares That then the said devise of the said
140 Coppyhold lands to the said Anne and her heires shall cease and be voyd
141 anything in this my Will contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding
142 In Witnesse whereof I the said Christopher Blake have to every sheet
143 of this my last Will and Testament containeing seaven sheets of Paper
144 sett my hand and to the last of them my Seale the day and yeare first
145 above written Christo: Blake Signed Sealed published and declared
146 by the above named Christopher Blake for and his last Will and Testam[en]t
147 the day and yeare first above written in the presence of Anne Davenport
148 Barbara Wilcocke Frances Berry John Gilberd Rob[er]t Palmer
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of-inner.html
Again we can place this family into the Swindon and Wiltshire Blake Pedigree Chart as he mentions his cousins Francis Blake and William Blake entrusting them with the overseeing of his properties. Their father Thomas was a brother to Christopher's grandfather William. By this time his cousins Francis and William are in their 60s.
This Blake line is daughtering out with this family but of course that means that other surnames are continuing - it is a win lose situation and there are still plenty of people with the Blake surname in the world. My own line daughters out with my generation although I have four brothers but none of them have a son.
This will reveals interesting details that Mary Blake (sister to the Testator and Ann) was married 16 May 1655 at Saint Christopher Le Stocks, London to Nicholas Harris.
The Parish Register for Saint Christopher Le Stocks in online at Ancestry and the text reads as follows [Margin: Nicho: Harris and Mary Blake]:
"These are to certify all whome it doth or may concerne, according to an Act of Parliament concerning Marriages and bearing date ye 24th of August 1653 an intention of marriage betweene Nicholas Barry of ye parish of [St] Peters [West]Cheape, London and Mary Blake of the parish of Christofer London was by joint consent published three successive Lords daies in ye parish Church of Christofer aforesaid viz[ a vi]t on the 22th and the 29th of Aprill 1655 and the 6th of May following.
Nicholas Harris of the Parish of Peters Cheape London and Mary Blake of this parish of Christopher London were on the 16 day of May 1655 marryed before mee Robert Tichburne esq[ui]re etc and one of the justices of Peace for ye City of London in the presence of two credible witnesses according to a late Act of parliament in that behalfe made and married.”
As Mary Harris widow she married Joseph Dorney although I have not yet found this marriage.
Red Rose Street mentioned in the will has a writeup in British History Online:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=46110
Rose Street
A comparison of the modern map with those of Rocque or Horwood (Plates 7, 8) will show how the original character of Rose Street has been obscured by changes made in the 1860's. The construction of Garrick Street deprived the southern arm of its identity as a street of houses, which is now apparent only in the drawing of 1851 reproduced on Plate 50b, while the westward extension of Hart (now Floral) Street broke across the long narrow alley-like approach to Long Acre. The circumstances in which this tortuous and ill-favoured link between that street and Covent Garden had come into being in 1638– 1640 are described on page 268.
Something of the haste with which at least the greater part of the street was developed is apparent in the St. Martin's ratebooks, where a score or more of ratepayers were assessed in 1640 but none in previous years. In this ratebook the street is designated Red Rose Street, which was the name originally given to the southernmost north-south arm (ref. 185) and to the east-west arm. (ref. 186) The northern arm was originally called White Rose Street (ref. 186) and its appearance in the ratebooks has not been certainly identified, but, if not included in the Red Rose Street section, it cannot have preceded it by more than a year or two. (ref. 187) On Lacy's 1673 map (Plate 2) and later maps the distinction of nomenclature is not observed. (fn. a)
All of the street was laid out beyond the wall made in c. 1610 to enclose the centre of Covent Garden (see page 24). The greater part (including virtually all that now surviving) was built on land already sold off by the fourth Earl of Bedford in 1635, (ref. 188) and most of this was left in St. Martin's parish when the boundary of the chapelry and parish of St. Paul was delimited.
Lacy's map of 1673 shows the east-west arm extending westward beyond the point where the northern arm turned off, and subsequent maps show a connexion here with another alley running into Long Acre called Angell Alley: this western extension of Rose Street has now been swallowed up in Garrick Street.
British History Online has a section on Brompton Road, North Side which pertains to the family of Sir William Blake
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50007
Like much of eastern Kensington, this property belonged in the early seventeenth century to Sir William Blake, being part of the hundred acres of meadow and pasture land in St. Margaret's Westminster, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Kensington which that gentleman owned at his death in 1630. (ref. 2) Subsequently it passed to the Tatham family, which by 1675 also held thirty-three acres of copyhold land in Kensington, including the thirteen acres adjoining westwards to this freehold, where Brompton Square, Holy Trinity Church, and the Oratory now stand. (ref. 3) By 1691) the freehold property belonged to Thomas Powell of Hackney, citizen and cutler of London, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Tatham of Clapham. (ref. 4) They disposed of it in 1717 to Peter Laroche, and he duly resold it the following year to Philip Moreau (1656–1733), who since 1705 seems to have been the owner of the thin strip of land previously referred to immediately south-west of Knightsbridge Green, later the site of Nos. 38–58A Brompton Road. (ref. 5)
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 17 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/338/462
Testator: Christopher Blake of Kensington
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:6 Mar 1671, probated 11 Apr 1672
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Christopheri
[Margin]: Blake arm
1 In the Name of God Amen
2 I Christopher Blake of Brompton in the parish of Kensington in the
3 County of Midd[lese]x Esq[ui]re being infirme of body but of good sound and perfect
4 mind and memory and understanding praised be God knowing the certainty of
5 death and the incertainty of the time thereof doe this Sixth day of March One
6 Thousand Six hundred Seventy and One Make and declare this my last Will
7 and Testament in writeing in manner and forme following First and principally
8 I commend my immortall Soule into the hands of God that gave it trusting by and
9 through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and
10 Redeemer to receive a glorious Resurrection amongst the Just My body I leave
11 to the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried in the parish Church of
12 Kensington att the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named Item I give to
13 the poore of the parish of Kensington as much as my said Executrix shall thinke
14 fitt to be distributed att the discretion of my said Executrix And whereas I am
15 possessed of severall Leases for yeares severall Messuages and Lands viz[ a vi]t of
16 one Messuage in Holles Street in the parish of Clements Danes in the County
17 of Midd[lese]x held by Lease for divers yeares yet to come of the Right Hono[ura]ble the
18 Earle of Clare and of another Messuage in Clare Street in the said parish of St
19 Clement Danes held of the said Earle by Lease for severall yeares yet to come
20 And of another Messuage in Red Rose Street in Covent Garden in the County of
21 Midd[lese]x And of another Lease of the Messuage I now live in in Brompton aforesaid
22 with the Stables Outhouses Gardens and Orchards thereunto belonging And of
23 divers other Messuages and Lands in Brompton Kensington Chelsey and
24 Westminster in the County of Middlesex held by the said Lease of the Feoffees
25 or Trustees of Henry Smith Esq[ui]re for about Threescore yeares to come Now I
26 hereby will and devise the said Messuage wherein I now dwell with the Stables
27 Outhouses Gardens and Orchards thereunto belonging to Elizabeth my deare
28 and loveing wife for soe many yeares of the said terme as she shall live paying
29 yearely for the same the summe of Five and Twenty pounds and keeping the
30 same in good and Tennantlike repaire And all the said severall Leases I give
31 and devise to my Cosen Francis Blake and William Blake theire Exec[uto]rs
32 Admi[nistrato]rs and assignes for all the severall termes of the said Leases yet to come
33 and unexpired They permitting my said wife to hold and enjoy the premisses
34 to her devises as aforesaid and freeing and dischargeing her from the rent
35 reserved in the originall Lease thereof amongst other things And I hereby
36 declare the said Gift and devise to the said Francis and William Blake to be
37 upon this Trust and confidence that they will from time to time dureing the
38 life of my Sister Mary wife of Joseph Dorney Merchant (if the said Leases
39 respectively soe long continue) pay to such person or persons as the said
40 Mary notwithstanding her coverture and without her husband's consent shall
41 direct or appoint All the cleere rents and proffitts of the premisses (taxes and
42 other charges deducted) And from and after the death of the said Mary shall
43 pay and dispose of such cleere rents and proffitts of the premisses To John Herris
44 sonne of the said Mary by her former husband and the heires of his body And
45 for default of such issue to Anne Dorney daughter of the said Mary and the
46 heires of her body for and dureing all the remainder and remainders of the
47 said severall tenures for yeares then to come and unexpired And for the better
48 payment of my debts Legacies and Funerall expences and out of the intire
49 love and affection I beare to the said Elizabeth my wife and as part of
50 recompence and satisfaction of the promises made to her Freinds when she
51 and they att her request ioyned in Sale of her lands of Inheritance in the
52 County
[Page 2]
53 County of Bedford to settle One hundred and fifty pounds p[er] annum
54 on her for her life I give and devise to the said Elizabeth my wife All my plate
55 household stuffe debts oweing to mee or any other in trust for mee by Mortgage
56 or Recognizance or otherwise and all other my goods and Chattells whatsoever
57 And I make and ordaine the said Elizabeth my wife sole Executrix of this my
58 last Will and Testament hereby revoakeing all former Wills by mee made
59 This is the last Will and Testament of mee the above named Christopher
60 Blake by mee made and declared the day and yeare first above writen touching
61 the disposition of all and Singuler my Messuages Lands Tenements and
62 hereditaments whereof I am seized in possession or have any reversion or
63 remainder in mee I hereby ratify and confirme such Joynture or part of
64 Joynture as was settled on the said Elizabeth my wife before our intermarriage
65 And for further satisfaction of my said promise to settle One hundred and
66 Fifty pounds per annum on my said wife for her life upon her and her freinds
67 joyning with mee in sale of her said lands of Inheritance I give and devise to
68 the said Elizabeth my wife for and dureing the terme of her naturall life Al[so]
69 that Messuage or dwelling house with the Garden Orchard and appurtenances
70 thereunto belonging in Knightsbridge in the said County of Midd[lese]x now or
71 late in the occupation of John Man Esq[ui]re and Mr. Maurice Hunt And all
72 those foure acres of land called Wellfeild lyeing behinde and neare the said
73 last mentioned Messuage And all that Messuage with the appurtenances
74 and foure acres by estimation in Brompton aforesaid in the occupation of
75 Edward Smith or his assignes To have and to hold the same to the said
76 Elizabeth my wife for and dureing the tenure of her naturall life And from and
77 after the decease of my said wife I give and devise all and singuler the said
78 Messuages Lands and premisses to the said Francis Blake and William
79 Blake and theire heires dureing the life of the said Mary Dorney my sister
80 Upon Trust and confidence that they will pay and dispose of the rents and
81 proffitts thereof as my said Sister notwithstanding her Coverture and without
82 the consent of her husband shall direct and appoint And from and after the
83 death of my said Sister I give and devise all and singuler the said Messuages
84 Lands and premisses to the said John Harris for and dureing the tearme
85 of his naturall life And from and after his decease then to the first sonne of
86 the body of the said John Harris lawfully to be begotten and the heires
87 males of the body of such first sonne issueing And for default of such issue
88 then to the second sonne of the body of the said John Herris lawfully to be
89 begotten and the heires males of the body of such second sonne issueing And
90 for default of such issue then to The Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seaventh
91 Eighth Ninth Tenth and all and every other the sonne and sonnes of the
92 body of the said John Herris lawfully to be begotten Severally Successively
93 and respectively one after another as they and every of them shall be in
94 priority of birth and seniority of age And the heires male of the body
95 and bodies of all and every such Sonne and Sonnes The older of the same
96 Sonnes and the heires male of his body being allwayes preferred before
97 the younger of the same sonnes and the heires male of his and theire body
98 and bodies And for default of such issue Then I give and devise the same to
99 the second sonne of the body of the said Mary Dorney lawfully begotten
100 or to be begotten and the heires male of the body of such second sonne
101 issueing And for default of such issue Then to the Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
102 and all and every other the sonne and sonnes of the body of the sayd Mary
103 Dorney lawfully begotten or to be begotten Severally Successively and
104 respectively one after another as they are every of them shall be in
105 priority
[Page 3]
106 Priority of birth and seniority of age and the heires male of the body and
107 bodies of all and every such sonne and sonnes The elder of the same sonnes and the
108 heires male of his body being allwayes preferred before the younger of the
109 same sonnes and the heires male of his and theire body and bodyes And for default
110 of such issue then to all and every the daughter and daughters of the body of
111 the said John Harris lawfully to be begotten and the heires of the body and
112 bodyes of all and every such daughter and daughters And for default of such
113 issue then I give and devise the same to the said Anne Dorney for and
114 dureing the terme of her naturall life And from and after her decease Then
115 to the first sonne of the body of the said Anne Dorney lawfully to be begotten
116 and the heires male of the body of such first sonne issueing And for default of
117 such issue then To the second sonne of the body of the said Ann Dorney lawfully to
118 be begotten and the heires male of the body of such second sonne issueing And
119 for default of such issue then to the Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seaventh and all
120 and every other the Sonne and Sonnes of the body of the said Anne lawfully
121 to be begotten Severally Successively and respectively one after another as
122 they and every of them shall be in priority of birth and Seniority of age and
123 the heires male of the body and bodyes of all and every such Sonne and
124 Sonnes the elder of the same Sonnes and the heires male of his body being
125 allwayes preferred before the younger of the same Sonnes and the
126 heires male of his and theire body and bodyes And for default of such
127 issue Then to all and every the daughter and daughters of the body of the
128 said Mary Dorney and Anne Dorney lawfully to be begotten and the
129 heires of the body and bodyes of all and or ev[er]y such daughter and daughters
130 And for default of such issue then I give and devise the same to the said
131 Elizabeth my wife and her heires for ever And whereas I have surrendered
132 into the hands of the Lord of the Mannor of Earles' Court in the said
133 County of Midd[lese]x All my Coppyhold Lands holden of the same Mannor
134 to the use of my last Will and Testament or such uses as I should declare
135 by my last Will and Testament Now I hereby give and devise All my
136 said Coppyhold lands to the said Anne Dorney and her heires Provided
137 allwayes that if the said John Herris shall pay her Five hundred
138 pounds within the space of three monthes next after he shall accomplish
139 the age of One and Twenty yeares That then the said devise of the said
140 Coppyhold lands to the said Anne and her heires shall cease and be voyd
141 anything in this my Will contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding
142 In Witnesse whereof I the said Christopher Blake have to every sheet
143 of this my last Will and Testament containeing seaven sheets of Paper
144 sett my hand and to the last of them my Seale the day and yeare first
145 above written Christo: Blake Signed Sealed published and declared
146 by the above named Christopher Blake for and his last Will and Testam[en]t
147 the day and yeare first above written in the presence of Anne Davenport
148 Barbara Wilcocke Frances Berry John Gilberd Rob[er]t Palmer
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Will of Ann Blake of Kensington, Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/313/302, probated 15 Mar 1664
An interesting will to follow that of her father William Blake (Esquire of Inner Temple) blogged earlier:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of-inner.html
The family links as she mentions her brother Christopher and sister Mary. I wonder where she traveled to all those years ago as she talks about going over the "seas" perhaps she means to America as there were a lot of people going there in the early 1660s. Charles has returned as King Charles II of England. She has done well with her fifty pounds from her father as she now have more than three hundred pounds to dispose of in her will. Her father died in 1645 so this is sixteen years later when she is writing her will.
Whatever happened to Mary and did Ann go to the Americas? However I am sticking strictly to my one name study and only record the marriages of Blake daughters and their children if I find them. My interest is in the Blake surname only.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 14 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/313/302
Testator: Ann Blake of Kensington
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 6 Jan 1661, probated 15 Mar 1664
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] Testament
[Margin]: Anna Blake
1 I Ann Blake daughter of
2 William Blake late of Kensington in the Countie of Middlesex Esquire
3 deceased whilst I enioy health and memory I doe make and ordaine this my
4 Last Will and Testament restoring my Soule to God and my Body to the Earth
5 to be privately buried at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named or such
6 other my freind whoe shall be on or neare the place where I happen to die
7 They not exceeding the summe of Twentie pounds in the Expences of my fune-
8 rall To my only Brother Christopher Blake Esquire I give five pounds to
9 buy him a Ring To my only Sister Mary now wife of Joseph Dornoy of London
10 Merchant I give my greene wrought Bedd Greene hangings and all other fur-
11 niture to the same belonging except Linnen The Residue of my Estate Reall and
12 personall I give and bequeath unto Sir Allen Brodrick of Wandsworth in the
13 countie of Surrey Knight John Duke Esquire sonn and heire apparant of
14 Sir Edward Duke of Banhall in the Countie of Suffolk Barronett and
15 Elizabeth Duke wife of Doctor Edward Duke whome I make and ordaine
16 ioynt Executors of this my last Will and Testament in Trust and confidence
17 That within Six moneths next after my decease if I dye in England or within
18 Six moneths after the certaine knowledge of my death in case I dye in parts
19 beyond the Seas They shall pay or cause to be payed the summe of Three
20 Hundred
[Page 2]
21 Hundred pounds sterling to such person or persons as my aforesaid Sister
22 Mary shall nominate and appoynte if she be living at that time my intent being that
23 her sayd husband Joseph Dornoy should have no interest or share in the same but
24 that it be freely and clearelie at her dispose for the use of her selfe and her children
25 and in case she and they happen to dye in the meane yeare then the said summe
26 to be paid in manner as before is exprest unto my godsonn Toste "_____" Duke unto
27 whome I give and likewise bequeath the Residue and Remainder of my Estate Reall
28 and personall if he be then living And in the case of his death the same to be given unto
29 his Mother Mistres Elizabeth Duke aforesaid In witness whereof I have hereunto
30 sett my hand and Seale This Sixth day of Januarie Anno domini One thousand
31 six hundred sixtie one Anne Blake Signed and sealed in the presence of John Torry
32 Jane Smith
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of-inner.html
The family links as she mentions her brother Christopher and sister Mary. I wonder where she traveled to all those years ago as she talks about going over the "seas" perhaps she means to America as there were a lot of people going there in the early 1660s. Charles has returned as King Charles II of England. She has done well with her fifty pounds from her father as she now have more than three hundred pounds to dispose of in her will. Her father died in 1645 so this is sixteen years later when she is writing her will.
Whatever happened to Mary and did Ann go to the Americas? However I am sticking strictly to my one name study and only record the marriages of Blake daughters and their children if I find them. My interest is in the Blake surname only.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 14 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/313/302
Testator: Ann Blake of Kensington
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 6 Jan 1661, probated 15 Mar 1664
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] Testament
[Margin]: Anna Blake
1 I Ann Blake daughter of
2 William Blake late of Kensington in the Countie of Middlesex Esquire
3 deceased whilst I enioy health and memory I doe make and ordaine this my
4 Last Will and Testament restoring my Soule to God and my Body to the Earth
5 to be privately buried at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named or such
6 other my freind whoe shall be on or neare the place where I happen to die
7 They not exceeding the summe of Twentie pounds in the Expences of my fune-
8 rall To my only Brother Christopher Blake Esquire I give five pounds to
9 buy him a Ring To my only Sister Mary now wife of Joseph Dornoy of London
10 Merchant I give my greene wrought Bedd Greene hangings and all other fur-
11 niture to the same belonging except Linnen The Residue of my Estate Reall and
12 personall I give and bequeath unto Sir Allen Brodrick of Wandsworth in the
13 countie of Surrey Knight John Duke Esquire sonn and heire apparant of
14 Sir Edward Duke of Banhall in the Countie of Suffolk Barronett and
15 Elizabeth Duke wife of Doctor Edward Duke whome I make and ordaine
16 ioynt Executors of this my last Will and Testament in Trust and confidence
17 That within Six moneths next after my decease if I dye in England or within
18 Six moneths after the certaine knowledge of my death in case I dye in parts
19 beyond the Seas They shall pay or cause to be payed the summe of Three
20 Hundred
[Page 2]
21 Hundred pounds sterling to such person or persons as my aforesaid Sister
22 Mary shall nominate and appoynte if she be living at that time my intent being that
23 her sayd husband Joseph Dornoy should have no interest or share in the same but
24 that it be freely and clearelie at her dispose for the use of her selfe and her children
25 and in case she and they happen to dye in the meane yeare then the said summe
26 to be paid in manner as before is exprest unto my godsonn Toste "_____" Duke unto
27 whome I give and likewise bequeath the Residue and Remainder of my Estate Reall
28 and personall if he be then living And in the case of his death the same to be given unto
29 his Mother Mistres Elizabeth Duke aforesaid In witness whereof I have hereunto
30 sett my hand and Seale This Sixth day of Januarie Anno domini One thousand
31 six hundred sixtie one Anne Blake Signed and sealed in the presence of John Torry
32 Jane Smith
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Will of Rebecka Blake widow of Hampstead, Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/369/314, probated 18 Mar 1682
A valuable will for the family of Rebecka Blake but I couldn't find any information on a marriage of a Rebecka Tanner and unknown Blake. Her sisters Rachell married to Ambrose Beaton, Elizabeth married to unknown Howard, Susanna married to unknown Gumbleton and Hannah Tanner and her brother Thomas Tanner are all legatees as well as her mother Susanna.
Burial of Ambrose Beaton 6 Dec 1694 at St John at Hampstead, Camden could be one of the executors.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/369/314
Testator: Rebecka Blake widow of Hampstead
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:4 May 1681, probated 18 Mar 1682
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy blotched for the first few lines and then clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Rebecka Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen I Rebecka Blake
2 of hampstead in the county of Middlesex widdow being weake in body but of
3 sound and perfect mind and memory (thanckes bee God Almightye)___regardeing the
4 certainity of death and the uncertainety of the time thereof (revokeing all former
5 Wills Legacies and bequests by mee made and given doe make and declare
6 this my present last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
7 (that is to say) First and principally I commend my soule into the hands of
8 Almighty God my Creator and of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and
9 Redeemer hopeing and stedfastly beleeveing through the meritts death and
10 passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to obtene free pardon and
11 forgiveness of all my sinnes and to inheritt life eternall in the Kingdome of
12 heaven with other the elect Children of God, My Body I comitt to the earth
13 in decewnt manner to bee buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named
14 And for such Temporall lands goods and estate as it hath pleased God to blesse mee
15 with (my debts and funerall expences being thereon first paid and discharged) I
16 give and dispose of the same in manner and forme following (that is to say) Imprimis
17 I give and bequeath my brother Thomas Tanner the summe of threescore pounds
18 hee paying the Interest of it to my deare and loveing mother Susanna Tanner
19 so long as shee liveth Item I give and bequeath to my sister Rachell Beaton
20 the summe of Thirty pounds the Interest whereof I give to my mother dureing
21 her naturall life Item I give and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth Howard the
22 summe of Thirty pounds shee paying the Interest of it to my mother dureing her
23 naturall life Item I give and bequeath to my sister Susanna Gumbleton
24 the summe of Thirty pounds shee paying the itnerest of it to my mother dureing
25 her naturall life Item I give to my sister Hannah Tanner the summer of Thirty
26 pounds shee paying the interest of it to my mother dureing her naturall life
27 Item I give and bequeath to all my sisters Tenne children the summe of Tenne
28 shillings a peece then I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Gould Widdow the summe
29 of Tenne shillings Item I give and bequeath to Katherine Fisher at my sister
30 Beatons the summe of Twenty shillings Item I give and bequeath to my four sisters
31 and my brother Thomas Tanner All my plate Linnen and wearing
32 Apparell to bee equally divided among them five Item I leave the summe of
33 Twenty pounds to bee laid out upon my funerall and other charges and I ordaine
34 and make my brother Ambrose Beaton and Daniel Beare Executors of this my
35 present last Will and Testament hopeing they will fullfill it according to my
36 mind intent and meaning herein before expressed In witnesse whereof I have
37 hereunto sett my hand and seale the Fourth day of May Anno Domini One
38 Thousand six hundred eighty one etc the marke of Rebecka Blake Signed sealed
39 published declared and delivered by the Testator for and as her last Will and
40 Testament the day of the date in the presence of The mark of Eliza: Beare
41 the mark of Samuel Kent the mark of Katherine Derby Thomas Middleton
Burial of Ambrose Beaton 6 Dec 1694 at St John at Hampstead, Camden could be one of the executors.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/369/314
Testator: Rebecka Blake widow of Hampstead
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:4 May 1681, probated 18 Mar 1682
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy blotched for the first few lines and then clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Rebecka Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen I Rebecka Blake
2 of hampstead in the county of Middlesex widdow being weake in body but of
3 sound and perfect mind and memory (thanckes bee God Almightye)___regardeing the
4 certainity of death and the uncertainety of the time thereof (revokeing all former
5 Wills Legacies and bequests by mee made and given doe make and declare
6 this my present last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
7 (that is to say) First and principally I commend my soule into the hands of
8 Almighty God my Creator and of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and
9 Redeemer hopeing and stedfastly beleeveing through the meritts death and
10 passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to obtene free pardon and
11 forgiveness of all my sinnes and to inheritt life eternall in the Kingdome of
12 heaven with other the elect Children of God, My Body I comitt to the earth
13 in decewnt manner to bee buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named
14 And for such Temporall lands goods and estate as it hath pleased God to blesse mee
15 with (my debts and funerall expences being thereon first paid and discharged) I
16 give and dispose of the same in manner and forme following (that is to say) Imprimis
17 I give and bequeath my brother Thomas Tanner the summe of threescore pounds
18 hee paying the Interest of it to my deare and loveing mother Susanna Tanner
19 so long as shee liveth Item I give and bequeath to my sister Rachell Beaton
20 the summe of Thirty pounds the Interest whereof I give to my mother dureing
21 her naturall life Item I give and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth Howard the
22 summe of Thirty pounds shee paying the Interest of it to my mother dureing her
23 naturall life Item I give and bequeath to my sister Susanna Gumbleton
24 the summe of Thirty pounds shee paying the itnerest of it to my mother dureing
25 her naturall life Item I give to my sister Hannah Tanner the summer of Thirty
26 pounds shee paying the interest of it to my mother dureing her naturall life
27 Item I give and bequeath to all my sisters Tenne children the summe of Tenne
28 shillings a peece then I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Gould Widdow the summe
29 of Tenne shillings Item I give and bequeath to Katherine Fisher at my sister
30 Beatons the summe of Twenty shillings Item I give and bequeath to my four sisters
31 and my brother Thomas Tanner All my plate Linnen and wearing
32 Apparell to bee equally divided among them five Item I leave the summe of
33 Twenty pounds to bee laid out upon my funerall and other charges and I ordaine
34 and make my brother Ambrose Beaton and Daniel Beare Executors of this my
35 present last Will and Testament hopeing they will fullfill it according to my
36 mind intent and meaning herein before expressed In witnesse whereof I have
37 hereunto sett my hand and seale the Fourth day of May Anno Domini One
38 Thousand six hundred eighty one etc the marke of Rebecka Blake Signed sealed
39 published declared and delivered by the Testator for and as her last Will and
40 Testament the day of the date in the presence of The mark of Eliza: Beare
41 the mark of Samuel Kent the mark of Katherine Derby Thomas Middleton
Monday, November 19, 2012
Will of John Blake, Silkthrower, Saint Mary Whitechapel, Middlesex - National Archives PROB 11/301/373, probated 14 Oct 1689
Not too much information in this will for John Blake a silkthrower who served in his Majesty's navy. On LDS I did find a marriage 3 May 1683 for John Blake and Sarah Lance at Allhallows, London Wall, London. If you have ever been to London then you know that this Church sits in the midst of major roads which go around it on all sides. The Church has a quaint feel to it as it has been there for so much of London's history. Interestingly Whitechappell is just 0.6 miles ESE of All Hallows London Wall.
This is an interesting period in English history as James II is still King of England 1 October 1688. On the 30 June 1688 a group of seven Protestant nobles invited the Prince of Orange to come to England with an army and remove James from the throne and place Mary (wife of the Prince of Orange and daughter of James) on the throne. William of Orange arrived on 5 Nov 1688 and James tried to flee to France but was captured in Kent. He was allowed to escape on 23 Dec after he officially abdicated 11 Dec 1688. I wonder which Majesty John was serving actually but suspect it would have been the Princess Mary returning to England with her husband Prince William of Orange. They became William III and Mary II of England because Mary insisted that William be crowned with her.
A silk thrower is a worker in the silk industry who twists silk into yarn. I wonder what his purpose would be on a ship but perhaps it was to help maintaining the sails.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 15 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/301/373
Testator: John Blake, Silkthrower and now intended to serve His Majesty on board the good Ship Elizabeth of Saint Mary Whitechapel
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 1 Oct 1688, probated 14 Oct 1689
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Johannis Blake
1 Know all men by these presents
2 that I John Blake now resident in the parish of Saint Mary
3 Whitechappell in the County of Middlesex silkethrower and now intended to
4 serve his Majestie and onboard the good shipp the Elizabeth whereof under
5 God Sir John Bury is Commander have and by these presents doe make
6 ordaine constitute and appoint my loveing wife Sarah Blake my true lawfull
7 and irrevocable Attorney in my name And to and for my owne proper use
8 and beheese to demand aske and receive of and from the Right Honourable
9 the Paymasters of his Majesties Navy or others whome this doth or may
10 concerne all such sallary or wages as now is or hereafter shall in any wise
11 become due or payable unto mee for my service done or to bee done either in
12 or onboard the said shipp or in or onboard any other shipp bessell or frigot I may
13 happen to serve in or on board in this my intended service And upon nonpayment
14 thereof or of any parte thereof in my name to have use and take all lawful wayes
15 and meanes in or about the recovery thereof And upon receipt or receipts thereof
16 to my name to signe seale and deliver any accquittance or other discharge for
17 the same And Generally to doe execute and performe all other Acts and
18 things needfull to bee done in or about the recovery or dischargeing of the
19 premisses soe fully and effectually in every respect as I myselfe might or could
20 doe or have done if personally present And I the said John Blake doe
21 ratefie confirme and allowe the same by these presents And in Case death
[Page 2]
22 happen unto mee before my returne In such case I the said John Blake
23 doe make manifest and declare this present Writeing to bee and containe
24 my last Will and Testament whereof I doe make constitute and appoint
25 the said Sarah Blake my full and sole Executrix to whome after my Just
26 debts shall bee paid All the rest residue and remainder of my wages or
27 sallary goods chattells and state I wholly give will and bequeath And doe
28 revoake all former or other Wills confirmeing this only In Witnesse whereof
29 I have hereunto wet my hand and seale the first day of October Anno
30 domini One Thousand Six hundred Eighty Eight Annoqz R R Jacobi
31 secundi nomi Anglia etc Quarto John Blake Sealed and delivered in the
32 presence of the marke of William Llynnard, the marke of Margaret Blake
33 and Tho: Craven Scr
This is an interesting period in English history as James II is still King of England 1 October 1688. On the 30 June 1688 a group of seven Protestant nobles invited the Prince of Orange to come to England with an army and remove James from the throne and place Mary (wife of the Prince of Orange and daughter of James) on the throne. William of Orange arrived on 5 Nov 1688 and James tried to flee to France but was captured in Kent. He was allowed to escape on 23 Dec after he officially abdicated 11 Dec 1688. I wonder which Majesty John was serving actually but suspect it would have been the Princess Mary returning to England with her husband Prince William of Orange. They became William III and Mary II of England because Mary insisted that William be crowned with her.
A silk thrower is a worker in the silk industry who twists silk into yarn. I wonder what his purpose would be on a ship but perhaps it was to help maintaining the sails.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 15 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/301/373
Testator: John Blake, Silkthrower and now intended to serve His Majesty on board the good Ship Elizabeth of Saint Mary Whitechapel
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 1 Oct 1688, probated 14 Oct 1689
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Johannis Blake
1 Know all men by these presents
2 that I John Blake now resident in the parish of Saint Mary
3 Whitechappell in the County of Middlesex silkethrower and now intended to
4 serve his Majestie and onboard the good shipp the Elizabeth whereof under
5 God Sir John Bury is Commander have and by these presents doe make
6 ordaine constitute and appoint my loveing wife Sarah Blake my true lawfull
7 and irrevocable Attorney in my name And to and for my owne proper use
8 and beheese to demand aske and receive of and from the Right Honourable
9 the Paymasters of his Majesties Navy or others whome this doth or may
10 concerne all such sallary or wages as now is or hereafter shall in any wise
11 become due or payable unto mee for my service done or to bee done either in
12 or onboard the said shipp or in or onboard any other shipp bessell or frigot I may
13 happen to serve in or on board in this my intended service And upon nonpayment
14 thereof or of any parte thereof in my name to have use and take all lawful wayes
15 and meanes in or about the recovery thereof And upon receipt or receipts thereof
16 to my name to signe seale and deliver any accquittance or other discharge for
17 the same And Generally to doe execute and performe all other Acts and
18 things needfull to bee done in or about the recovery or dischargeing of the
19 premisses soe fully and effectually in every respect as I myselfe might or could
20 doe or have done if personally present And I the said John Blake doe
21 ratefie confirme and allowe the same by these presents And in Case death
[Page 2]
22 happen unto mee before my returne In such case I the said John Blake
23 doe make manifest and declare this present Writeing to bee and containe
24 my last Will and Testament whereof I doe make constitute and appoint
25 the said Sarah Blake my full and sole Executrix to whome after my Just
26 debts shall bee paid All the rest residue and remainder of my wages or
27 sallary goods chattells and state I wholly give will and bequeath And doe
28 revoake all former or other Wills confirmeing this only In Witnesse whereof
29 I have hereunto wet my hand and seale the first day of October Anno
30 domini One Thousand Six hundred Eighty Eight Annoqz R R Jacobi
31 secundi nomi Anglia etc Quarto John Blake Sealed and delivered in the
32 presence of the marke of William Llynnard, the marke of Margaret Blake
33 and Tho: Craven Scr
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Will of John Blake, mariner of Stepney, Middlesex - The National Archives PROB 11/301/373, probated 4 Sep 1660
John Blake mariner probably being nursed by Elizabeth Aldridge the wife of John Aldridge also a mariner. No ideas on this John Blake and which Blake family he might belong to. Below I find the marriage in 1647 of Peeter Blake of Lymehouse mariner and Elizabeth Aleredge. This is just 13 years before this will and I am left to wonder if Peter is related to John or whether this is just a coincidence. There are actually two interesting marriage in London in this time period: John Aldridge married Elizabeth Vincent 7 Apr 1657 at Saint Margaret Westminster (M00160-1 Family Search) and John Eldridg married Elizabeth Wyvan 15 Dec 1657 at Saint Peter Pauls Wharf, London (M00137-1 Family Search). There is a John Aldridge baptized 2 Mar 1639 the son of John and Mary Aldridge at Saint Dustan, Stepney (C055760-5 Family Search).
Searching online I found the Marriage Registers for St Dunstan's Stepney and did a search for Blake edited by Thomas Colyer-Fergusson, Volume II, 1640 - 1696, Canterbury: Cross and Jackman, printers, 1899:
27 Dec 1642 George Story of Waping Smith and Elizabeth Blake, M
13 Feb 1642/43 Richard Bates of Brooke street Taylor and Mary Blake, M
18 Jan 1647/48 Peeter Blake of Lymehouse maryner and Elizabeth Aleredge, W
16 Nov 1650 John Blake of Whitehorstreet Victualler and Alice Smith of old streete, W
8 Mar 1658/59 Nicholas Harris of Shadwell Marriner and Patience Blake, M
15 Sep 1659 Peeter Nicholls of Ratcliff Marriner and Margrett Blake, M
22 Oct 1671 John Mack[intyre] of Prusans Island Waterman and Rebeka Blake, M, L.B.L.
9 Jan 1672/73 William Hardeing of Wapping Mariner and Elizabeth Blake, M
9 Nov 1675 Francis Blake of Spittlefields Mason and Magdalene Dering, M
6 Apr 1684 John Bartrum of Spittlefields Tayler and Mary Blake, S
20 May 1689 John Nicks of Wapping Bricklayer and Mary Blake of Rotherhithe in Surrey, S
20 Oct 1692 Edmund Haregate of Wapping Cordwainer and Jane Blake, W
22 Dec 1696 John Blake of St Paul Shadwell Mariner and Elizabeth Valentine of Wapping, W
I couldn't find a legend for the following letters but assume W is widow, LBL is Licence Bishop of London, S is spinster but no ideas on M yet.
The preface is interesting and I quote in part :
"In this volume the influence of the French immigration will be clearly seen by the increase of foreign names, and the growth of the parish is shown by the large number of marriages in each year.
There are numerous entries relating to the old seafaring families of Stepney, and amongst these the marriage on 23rd Feb., 1691, of Stephen Martin, the brother in law of Admiral Sir John Leake, to whom as his epitaph has it in the churchyard, "he was still more closely united by the strictest acquaintance, having been his Captain and share the same common Dangers in 20 years Wars." "
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/301/373
Testator: John Blake, mariner of Stepney
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 28 Aug 1660, probated 4 Sep 1660
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin]: Blake
1 In the name of God Amen I John Blake of
2 of Foxes Lane in the parish of Stevonheath alias Stepney in the Countie of
3 Midd[lese]x Marriner being sicke and weake of body but I thanke the Lord of per-
4 fect sense and memorie have thought it good to make frame and confirme this
5 my last will and testament in manner and forme following That is to say Im-
6 primis I commit my body to the earth out of which it had its beeing and from
7 whence through Christes death and passion and by noe other meanes or merritts
8 I have and am fully persuaded amongst the electe children of god to have a ioy-
9 full glad and glorious Resurrection my soule I commend into the hands of almigh-
10 tie god my maker and Redeemer And as touching that wages Chests clothes
11 and other estate which withall it hath pleased the Lord already to endowe mee
12 blesse mee or which at the tyme of my decease shall befound belonging due and
13 payable unto me my funerall Expences being first of all deducted and paid
14 and my debts discharged The residue thereof with every parte and parcell
15 thereof I doe fully and freely give and bequeath unto my very good friends
16 Elizabeth Aldridge the wife of John Aldridge of Foxes lane aforesaid Mar-
17 riner and to her heires and assignes for ever, And her doe I make and ordaine
18 to be the whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament In wit-
19 nes whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale dated the twentie eighth
20 daye of August Anno domini 1660 Annoqs R[egi]s Carolij secundj Angliae
21 etc decimo secundo John Blake his marke Signed sealed and delivered in
22 the presence of us John Morgan SCR Dorothie Cozar Margarett Bickly
23 her marke
Searching online I found the Marriage Registers for St Dunstan's Stepney and did a search for Blake edited by Thomas Colyer-Fergusson, Volume II, 1640 - 1696, Canterbury: Cross and Jackman, printers, 1899:
27 Dec 1642 George Story of Waping Smith and Elizabeth Blake, M
13 Feb 1642/43 Richard Bates of Brooke street Taylor and Mary Blake, M
18 Jan 1647/48 Peeter Blake of Lymehouse maryner and Elizabeth Aleredge, W
16 Nov 1650 John Blake of Whitehorstreet Victualler and Alice Smith of old streete, W
8 Mar 1658/59 Nicholas Harris of Shadwell Marriner and Patience Blake, M
15 Sep 1659 Peeter Nicholls of Ratcliff Marriner and Margrett Blake, M
22 Oct 1671 John Mack[intyre] of Prusans Island Waterman and Rebeka Blake, M, L.B.L.
9 Jan 1672/73 William Hardeing of Wapping Mariner and Elizabeth Blake, M
9 Nov 1675 Francis Blake of Spittlefields Mason and Magdalene Dering, M
6 Apr 1684 John Bartrum of Spittlefields Tayler and Mary Blake, S
20 May 1689 John Nicks of Wapping Bricklayer and Mary Blake of Rotherhithe in Surrey, S
20 Oct 1692 Edmund Haregate of Wapping Cordwainer and Jane Blake, W
22 Dec 1696 John Blake of St Paul Shadwell Mariner and Elizabeth Valentine of Wapping, W
I couldn't find a legend for the following letters but assume W is widow, LBL is Licence Bishop of London, S is spinster but no ideas on M yet.
The preface is interesting and I quote in part :
"In this volume the influence of the French immigration will be clearly seen by the increase of foreign names, and the growth of the parish is shown by the large number of marriages in each year.
There are numerous entries relating to the old seafaring families of Stepney, and amongst these the marriage on 23rd Feb., 1691, of Stephen Martin, the brother in law of Admiral Sir John Leake, to whom as his epitaph has it in the churchyard, "he was still more closely united by the strictest acquaintance, having been his Captain and share the same common Dangers in 20 years Wars." "
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/301/373
Testator: John Blake, mariner of Stepney
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 28 Aug 1660, probated 4 Sep 1660
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin]: Blake
1 In the name of God Amen I John Blake of
2 of Foxes Lane in the parish of Stevonheath alias Stepney in the Countie of
3 Midd[lese]x Marriner being sicke and weake of body but I thanke the Lord of per-
4 fect sense and memorie have thought it good to make frame and confirme this
5 my last will and testament in manner and forme following That is to say Im-
6 primis I commit my body to the earth out of which it had its beeing and from
7 whence through Christes death and passion and by noe other meanes or merritts
8 I have and am fully persuaded amongst the electe children of god to have a ioy-
9 full glad and glorious Resurrection my soule I commend into the hands of almigh-
10 tie god my maker and Redeemer And as touching that wages Chests clothes
11 and other estate which withall it hath pleased the Lord already to endowe mee
12 blesse mee or which at the tyme of my decease shall befound belonging due and
13 payable unto me my funerall Expences being first of all deducted and paid
14 and my debts discharged The residue thereof with every parte and parcell
15 thereof I doe fully and freely give and bequeath unto my very good friends
16 Elizabeth Aldridge the wife of John Aldridge of Foxes lane aforesaid Mar-
17 riner and to her heires and assignes for ever, And her doe I make and ordaine
18 to be the whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament In wit-
19 nes whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale dated the twentie eighth
20 daye of August Anno domini 1660 Annoqs R[egi]s Carolij secundj Angliae
21 etc decimo secundo John Blake his marke Signed sealed and delivered in
22 the presence of us John Morgan SCR Dorothie Cozar Margarett Bickly
23 her marke
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Will of Nicholas Blake of Saint Clement Danes, Mariner - National Archives PROB 11/343/263, probated 16 Nov 1673
The testator Nicholas Blake is likely from Cornwall or Devon. Parish of Maker, Cornwall - in this parish is found Cremble Passage which was the common place of transferring passengers by boat or barge over the rapid and dangerous waves of the Tamerworth Harbour or Sea Haven from the Cornish shore to the Plymouth or Devonshire side or lands. Source: The parochial history of Cornwall, founded on the manuscript histories of Mr. Hals and Mr. Tonkin; with additions and various appendices (Volume 3) . (page 9 of 36)
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/davies-gilbert/the-parochial-history-of-cornwall-founded-on-the-manuscript-histories-of-mr-ha-bli/page-9-the-parochial-history-of-cornwall-founded-on-the-manuscript-histories-of-mr-ha-bli.shtml
An interesting notation in the Parish Register of Sheviock, Cornwall is the burial of Aquila Blake son of John Blake who died 3rd December 1631 (there is a floorstone in the parish church at Rame which reads "Here lyeth the body of Aquila Blake, the Sonne of John Blake, of this Parish who departed this life the third day of December 1631). The parish of Sheviock is 3.1 miles WSW of Passage Point (possibly Cremble Passage).
The National Archives holds a document that mentions Aquila Blake of Bodynnecke in Cornwall:
[no title] T/44 26th. April, 1653
Contents:
(1) Temperance Little, p. Creed, widow
(2) John Williams of St. Ewe, gent.; Aquila Blake of Bodynnecke, p. Lanteglos by Fowey, mercht. Tregigio Feoffment to uses: from (1) to (2) to use of Edward, John and Stephen, sons of John Williams Provision clause: land to remain to use of Temperance Little and her intended husband Nicholas Sawett whilst they live.
The parish of Lanteglos by Fowey where Aquila Blake is living at Bodynnecke although this is 18 miles WSW of Passage Point. However it is also twenty years earlier. Interesting as this Aquila Blake is also described as a merchant.
The Visitation of Cornwall in the Year 1620 edited by Lieutenant Colonel J.L. Vivian and Henry H. Drake (London, 1874) has entries for the Blake family but it is John Blake of Comb in County Devon. The grandson of John Blake of Comb (married to Elizabeth Lugar) has as his third wife Grace Cock daughter of John Cock of Cambelford Cornwall. His son also John Blake is the submitter of this pedigree in1620 and he shows four sons (John, George, Nicholas and Edward) and three daughters (Susan Elizabeth and Jane). Interestingly the coat of arms for this family is listed as Ar. a chev. betw. 3 garbs Sa. This coat of arms is indeed the coat of arms for the Calne Wiltshire Blake family. This coat of arms is not shown on the Visitation page but is listed under the List of Coats of Arms not shown in the back of the publication.
The Executor of the will who made probate was Aquilla Blake.
A Somerset Blake descendant who has researched the Blake family in that area has on her website:
http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/huttonreport.htm
Aquilla Blake was born 12 Oct 1845 in Banwell, Somerset. It is just really interesting to find this name once again albeit two hundred years later. Unfortunately she is only able to trace her line back to a Thomas Blake who was born at Hutton which is 3 miles ENE of Banwell Somerset. certainly the life and times in the 1600s when Elizabeth I was Queen of England and encouraging her mariners to sail the world the lure of the channel ports was high and the gains to be made by visiting and trading in all the foreign countries attracted many many younger sons to the pursuit. Banwell Somerset is 15 miles NNE of Bridgewater Somerset.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/343/263
Testator: Nicholas Blake, Mariner of Saint Clement Danes
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 16 Oct 1673, probated 16 Nov 1673
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] Tm
[Margin]: Nicholai Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen I Nicholas Blake of the Parish ofe
2 Saint Clement Danes in the County of Midd[lesex] Mariner being now sick and
3 weake in Body but of sound perfect and well disposing mind and memory
4 I praise Almighty God therefore and calling to mind the frailty of this
5 transitory lyfe and that I must yeild obedience to death when it shall please
6 his divine Providence soe to ordeine it doe therefore make and declare this
7 to be my last Will and Testament First and principally I commend my
8 Soule into the hands of Almighty god my Creator stedfastly beleeving
9 that in and by and through the precious death and sufferings of his only
10 sonne my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to have free pardon and remission
11 of all my sinnes and so enioy with him and his elected life everlasting And
12 as touching such worldly Estate as I have namely all such wages and Pay
13 due or to grow due to mee for my service in his Ma[jes]t[ie]s Friggott the Crowne I
14 gyve and bequeath unto my very loving Father Aquila Blake of Cremble
15 Passage in the County of Devon Merchant whome I doe hereby make and
16 appoint to be full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby
17 making void frustrate and of noe effect all other Wills by mee made either
18 by word of mouth or in writing declaring this to be my only last Will In
19 Witnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the Sixteenth day of
20 October In the Fyve and Twentyth yeare of the Raigne of our soveraigne
21 Lord King Charles the Second Anno d[om]ini 1673 Nicholas Blake his marke
22 Sealed and delyvered in the presence of Francis Bultell Mathew Maskins
23 John Scoble his marke James Kirtham SR
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/davies-gilbert/the-parochial-history-of-cornwall-founded-on-the-manuscript-histories-of-mr-ha-bli/page-9-the-parochial-history-of-cornwall-founded-on-the-manuscript-histories-of-mr-ha-bli.shtml
An interesting notation in the Parish Register of Sheviock, Cornwall is the burial of Aquila Blake son of John Blake who died 3rd December 1631 (there is a floorstone in the parish church at Rame which reads "Here lyeth the body of Aquila Blake, the Sonne of John Blake, of this Parish who departed this life the third day of December 1631). The parish of Sheviock is 3.1 miles WSW of Passage Point (possibly Cremble Passage).
The National Archives holds a document that mentions Aquila Blake of Bodynnecke in Cornwall:
[no title] T/44 26th. April, 1653
Contents:
(1) Temperance Little, p. Creed, widow
(2) John Williams of St. Ewe, gent.; Aquila Blake of Bodynnecke, p. Lanteglos by Fowey, mercht. Tregigio Feoffment to uses: from (1) to (2) to use of Edward, John and Stephen, sons of John Williams Provision clause: land to remain to use of Temperance Little and her intended husband Nicholas Sawett whilst they live.
The parish of Lanteglos by Fowey where Aquila Blake is living at Bodynnecke although this is 18 miles WSW of Passage Point. However it is also twenty years earlier. Interesting as this Aquila Blake is also described as a merchant.
The Visitation of Cornwall in the Year 1620 edited by Lieutenant Colonel J.L. Vivian and Henry H. Drake (London, 1874) has entries for the Blake family but it is John Blake of Comb in County Devon. The grandson of John Blake of Comb (married to Elizabeth Lugar) has as his third wife Grace Cock daughter of John Cock of Cambelford Cornwall. His son also John Blake is the submitter of this pedigree in1620 and he shows four sons (John, George, Nicholas and Edward) and three daughters (Susan Elizabeth and Jane). Interestingly the coat of arms for this family is listed as Ar. a chev. betw. 3 garbs Sa. This coat of arms is indeed the coat of arms for the Calne Wiltshire Blake family. This coat of arms is not shown on the Visitation page but is listed under the List of Coats of Arms not shown in the back of the publication.
The Executor of the will who made probate was Aquilla Blake.
A Somerset Blake descendant who has researched the Blake family in that area has on her website:
http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/huttonreport.htm
Aquilla Blake was born 12 Oct 1845 in Banwell, Somerset. It is just really interesting to find this name once again albeit two hundred years later. Unfortunately she is only able to trace her line back to a Thomas Blake who was born at Hutton which is 3 miles ENE of Banwell Somerset. certainly the life and times in the 1600s when Elizabeth I was Queen of England and encouraging her mariners to sail the world the lure of the channel ports was high and the gains to be made by visiting and trading in all the foreign countries attracted many many younger sons to the pursuit. Banwell Somerset is 15 miles NNE of Bridgewater Somerset.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/343/263
Testator: Nicholas Blake, Mariner of Saint Clement Danes
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 16 Oct 1673, probated 16 Nov 1673
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear
[Margin] Tm
[Margin]: Nicholai Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen I Nicholas Blake of the Parish ofe
2 Saint Clement Danes in the County of Midd[lesex] Mariner being now sick and
3 weake in Body but of sound perfect and well disposing mind and memory
4 I praise Almighty God therefore and calling to mind the frailty of this
5 transitory lyfe and that I must yeild obedience to death when it shall please
6 his divine Providence soe to ordeine it doe therefore make and declare this
7 to be my last Will and Testament First and principally I commend my
8 Soule into the hands of Almighty god my Creator stedfastly beleeving
9 that in and by and through the precious death and sufferings of his only
10 sonne my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to have free pardon and remission
11 of all my sinnes and so enioy with him and his elected life everlasting And
12 as touching such worldly Estate as I have namely all such wages and Pay
13 due or to grow due to mee for my service in his Ma[jes]t[ie]s Friggott the Crowne I
14 gyve and bequeath unto my very loving Father Aquila Blake of Cremble
15 Passage in the County of Devon Merchant whome I doe hereby make and
16 appoint to be full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby
17 making void frustrate and of noe effect all other Wills by mee made either
18 by word of mouth or in writing declaring this to be my only last Will In
19 Witnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the Sixteenth day of
20 October In the Fyve and Twentyth yeare of the Raigne of our soveraigne
21 Lord King Charles the Second Anno d[om]ini 1673 Nicholas Blake his marke
22 Sealed and delyvered in the presence of Francis Bultell Mathew Maskins
23 John Scoble his marke James Kirtham SR
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