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
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