Monday, June 24, 2013

Will of Ferdinando Blake the elder, Gentleman of Yealmpton, Devon - The National Archives PROB 11/196/196, probated 21 May 1646

Ferdinando Blake is the testator and his marriage to Martha Berrie is recorded 21 Feb 1613 at Plympton Saint Mary in Devon (Family Search M05197-1). The marriage of his son Ferdinando to Ruth Bartlett 28 Dec 1648 at Yealmpton in Devon (Family Search M05197-1).

This Ferdinand is descendant of the Blake family at Coombe as I discovered glancing at the next will and at the Visitation for Devon 1620 where Ferdinand was the second son of John Blake of Coombe married to Grace Cock. He is listed as married to Martha Berry but no children are listed for this couple. More with the next will which is George Blake of Coombe. 

Children baptized at Yealmpton with parents Ferdinando and Martha Blake (Family Search C05222-1 and there are some missing since he mentions daughters Grace and Ann and son Ferdinando in  his will however Honor and John must have died:

Samuel baptized 24 Jul 1619
Honor baptized 3 Feb 1622
John baptized 24 Jul 1640
Martha baptized 21 Feb 1642

Mentioned in the will the children of Ferdinando: Samuel, Grace, Ann, Martha and Ferdinando. The gap between the baptisms is rather large and could it be that he had a second wife Martha?

http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-721-1/dissemination/pdf/southwes1-81288_1.pdf

Ferdinando Blake and Ruth, his wife: Combe and Lower Combe, Plymstock. 1663/4 (National Archives 74/96/9).

According to an Archaeological Dig in this area of Combe, Coombe Farm was held by the Augustinian Priory at Plympton since the 13th century. From before the Dissolution it was the home of the Blake family, who lived there from 1511 to circa 1724. The Blakes sold the farm in 1663 to Edmund Pollexfen of Kitley House in Yealmpton. Further in the document “When John Blake went from leaseholder to landowner in 1544, he assumed the responsibility for running and maintaining a house and buildings that were never intended to be supported on the profits of a single farm.” The house was enormous as judged by the Hearth Tax of 1674.

An interesting entry in the Alumni Oxoniensis for Ferdinando son of Ferdinando of Brixton, Devon, pleb. New Inn Hall, matriculation 21 May 1669 aged 18 years. This would give him a date of birth of 1641 and lead one to think that perhaps the testator Ferdinando did marry twice.

Perhaps one of the other Devon wills will shed more light on this Blake line.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 21 Jun 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/196/196
Testator: Ferdinando Blake, the elder, Gentleman
Place: Yealmpton, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 17 Aug 1643, probated 21 May 1646
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent] Ferdinando
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    the Seventeenth day of Auguste Anno d[omi]ni one Thousand six hundred forty
3    and three I Ferdinando Blake th[e ]elder of Cofflute w[i]thin the parish of
4    Yealmpton in the County of Devon gent beinge sycke in body but of sound and perfect
5    memory thankes be unto Allmighty God doe make and ordaine this my last will
6    and Testament in manner and forms forme following First I commend my Sowle
7    into the hands and tuition of Allmighty God my only Saviour and Redeemer
8    through whose infinite mercy and goodnesse onley I hope to bee saved and my body I
9    commend unto the Christian burial Item I give devise and bequeath unto Martha
10    my now wife All my whole estate right title interest and terme of yeares which I
11    the sayd Ferdinando Blake now have or cleyme to have in or unto all that Messuage
12    or Tennement w[i]th Th[e ]appurttenncs in exculled Cofflute al[ia]s North Cofflute w[i]thin
13    the Parish of Yealmpton sometime in the possession of Mr Michaell Steerts deceased
14    and now in the tenure Possession occupatioin of mee the sayd Ferdinando Blake
15    To have and to hold the sayd messuage or Tennement w[i]th Th[e ]appurttences
16    and every parte and parcel thereof unto the sayd Martha my now wyffe and her
17    Executors and Assignes ymediately from and after the death and decease of mee the
18    sayd Fardinando Blake for and during all the residue yf the estate and terme of
19    Yeares of mee the sayd Fardinando Blake that shal[l ]bee then to come and unexpired
20    of and in the same Item I give devise and bequeath unto Martha my sayd wife
21    all that one Messuage or Tennement lyinge in Yealmpton aforesaid now in the possession
22    of mee the sayd Firdinando Blake together with all Howses Orchardes gardens
23    lands woodcuts Pastures and all other the Premisses with Th[e ]appurttencs which
24    I the sayd Firdinando now have or cleyme to have by for and vertue of a
25    certainne Lease or grant thereto unto mee made from one George Keynshame of
26    St Kevern in the County of Cornwall gent for Terme of Fowerscore and nyne-
27    teene yeares yf I the sayd Firdinando Blake Samuell Blake and Grace Blake
28    my sonne and daughter or either of do happen soe long to live To have and to hold
29    the sayd Messuage or Tennement and all and singuler other the Premisses w[i]th
30    Th[e ]appurttencs unto the sayd Martha my now wife ymmediatly from and after my
31    decease for and during the terme of Forty yeares yf shee the sayd Martha doe shall happen soe
32    long too live and after her decease my will and intent is and I doe hereby give devise and
33    bequeath all the residue in my estate right interest and Termes of Yeares that shal[l ]bee
34    then to come and unexpired of and in the Messuage or Tennement w[i]th Th[e ]appurttencs
35    last before mencioned unto Samuell Blake my Sonne ymmediatly from and after
36    The death and decease of mee the sayd Furdinando Blake and yf Martha my now wife
37    for and during all the Residue of the sayd estate and terme of yeares of mee the
38    sayd Ferdinando that shal[l ]bee therein then to come and unexpired (and not before) Item I give therein
39    and bequeath unto the sayd Martha my now wife All those two Closes of land w[i]th
40    Th[e ]appurttencs whereof the one called great Hallwill downe and Th[e ]other is called
41    Georges Parke parcel of the b[ar]ton of Halliwell lying and beinge w[i]thin the Parish
42    of Brixton in the sayd County of Devon To have and to hold the sayd two Closes
43    of Land w[i]th their Appurttencs from and after my decease in manner and forme following
44    (that is to say) unto the sayd Martha my now wyfe for and during the terme of
45    Forty Yeares yf she the sayd Martha doe or shall happen soe long to live and yf
46    my estate then for soe long continue and after her decease unto Grace Blake
47    Ann Blake and Martha Blake my daughters for and during all the Resydue of
48    the estate and terme of yeares of mee the sayd Fardinando Blake that shal[l ]bee
49    then to come and unexpired of and in the same Item I give and bequeath unto
50    Fardinando Blake my Sonne the Sum[m]e of six poundes therteene shillinges and
51    Fower pense in lawfull English money to bee payd unto the sayd Furdinando Blake
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52    my Sonne yearly and every Yeare during the natural lyfe of my sayd wyfe and of
53    mye sayd Sonne Ferdinando by my Executrix heare after named att the fowre most
54    usuall Feastes or Termes of payment in the yeare that is to say att the Feast of
55    St Michaell Th[e ]archangell the birth of our Lord God Th[e ]annunciation of
56    Wel[l ]blessed Lady Mary the Virgin and the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
57    by even and equall portions during the sayd Terme the first payment thereof to
58    begin att the next Feast of the Feasts aforesayd that shall first happen after the
59    death of mee the sayd Ferdinando Blake the Father Item my will intent and
60    meaning is that my Executrix hereinafter named shall att her owne costes and
61    chardges find and provide sufficient meate drinke Education and apparel unto and
62    for Samuell Blake my Sonne Grace Blake Anne Blake and Martha
63    Blake my daughters to have as well in sicknesse and in health during the lyfe of my
64    Executrix or until they shall marrey The residue of all my goodes cattells
65    and Chattells not before given nor bequeathed I doe hereby give devise and
66    bequeath unto the sayd Martha my now wyfe whom I doe heareby make and
67    ordaine to bee my whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament
68    and doe desire my good freindes Richard Avent and John Avent of Brixton
69    Yeoman to bee Overseers of this my last Will and Testament and to see this my
70    will performed In wittnesse whereof I the sayd Ferdinando Blake have here
71    unto sett my hand and Seale the daie and yeare above wrytten By mee Ferdinando
72    Blake Wittnesses heare unto me  mee John Frent the signe of Anne Koope
73    widdowe the signe Henry Cornishe

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