Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Will of James Blake, Bromley, Essex - The National Archives PROB 11/619/117, probated 13 Jan 1728

James Blake, the testator, doesn’t help us at all with his will naming only his executor and trustee as Robert Ashmall of Lincolns Inn. Robert Ashmall is listed as the second son of Thomas Ashmall of Amerston in a pedigree chart found on British History online. Amerston appears to be part of Durham County – Elwick Hall Parish.

 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/image.aspx?compid=76343&filename=fig31.gif&pubid=456

 The entry for Robert is listed as Robert Ashmall baptized 31 May 1674, and his obituary published circa 1758. Thomas his father married twice and his first wife Elizabeth (mother of Robert) was a sister of Robert and Humphrey Butler of Gray's Inn. This Thomas was the son of Thomas Ashmall of Amerston (aged 45 years on 20 Aug 1666, ob 10 Jun 1674) and married to Dorothy daughter of Ferdinando Huddleston of Millum, Cumberland. This Thomas also a son of a Thomas Ashmall of Aughton and married to Anne daughter of Thomas Letherborough of Aughton. Again the father of this Thomas also a Thomas Ashmall of Aughton and married to (unknown) daughter of (unknown) Worthington. The furtherest back ancestor Hugh Ashmall of Ashmall nigh Ormiskirk in Lancashire and he married the daughter of (unknown) Kirkby of Kirkby. However that doesn't particularly help me with the Blake family in this particular will. I do not see any mention of Blake in this chart. Interestingly though this family was Roman Catholic with one of the step brothers of Robert Ashmall ordained as a priest (Ferdinando Ashmall).

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 31 March 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/619/117
Testator: James Blake
Place: Bromley, Essex, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 4 Jan 1727, probated 13 Jan 1728
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Jacobi Blake
[Margin]: 5

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I James Blake of the parish of Bromley in the County of
3    Essex being of sound and disposeing mind and memory do make this
4    my last Will and Testament in Manner following Imprimis I commit
5    my soule to Almighty God and my body to be buried according to the
6    discretion of my Executor hereinafter named And as to all the
7    Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me as well reall as
8    personal I give devise and bequeath the same unto Robert Ashmall
9    of Lincolns Inn in the County of Middlesex Esq[uie]r his heires
10    Executors and Administrators and I do hereby further constitute
11    and appoint the said Robert Ashmall to be my full and sole
12    Executor and doe declare this to be my last Will and Testament
13    In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this
14    fourth day of January in the first yeare of the reigne of our
15    Soveraigne Lord George the second Annoqz d[omi]ni 1727 James
16    Blake Signed sealed published and declared by the said
17    James Blake as and for his last Will and Testament in the
18    presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names in his
19    presence and at his request A Boucher John Gaye Joshua
20    Covell
21    Probatum fuit huijusmodi Testamentum apud London
22    decimo tertio die Mensis Januarij Anno domini Millesimo
23    Septingentesimo Vicesimo Sepcius coram venerabili viro Carolo
24    Pinfold Legum doctore Surrogate Venerabili et Egregij viri
25    Johannis Bettesworth Legum doctoris Curia Prerogative
26    Cantuariensis Magistri Custodio Sive Commissary legitime
27    constitution Juramento Roberti Ashmall Executoris in dicto
28    Testamento nominat Cui commissa fuit administration ominium
29    et singulorum bonorum jurium et Creditorum dicti defuncti
30    de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad Sancta dei
31    Evangelia jurat Exam

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