BLAKE - Will of Nic[h]olas BLAKE of Enham, Hampshire, England

Old Hall and Nicholas BLAKE at Knights Enham, Hampshire, England was a childhood memory for me. My husband and I visited the New England Historic and Genealogical Society Library (NEHGS) in Boston for a Genealogical Session in 2004. I was at the very beginning of my research having neatly avoided it for the first nearly fourty years of our marriage. I was somewhat convinced that I really knew a great deal about my family until my mother wanted my husband to create a 50th Wedding Anniversary Book for them (my parents were married for 50 years on the 20th May 1988 and they actually celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1998 as well). My husband, with my mother's notes started to delve into my family and discovered that there were difficult portions that he could not readily discover without extensive research. I did help somewhat going through parish registers at the Family History Library (which my mother had already done to a certain extent but my husband did borrow film from the Family History Library in Utah to assist with the project so did take it somewhat further). It did take hours to read through all the registers and I must admit at the time I did not find it particularly interesting. I needed an incentive and in the late 1980s I really didn't have that desire to learn or discover the missing areas in my family history now that my husband had discovered that they were missing!

 In 2001 I had the opportunity to go to Rome for the Consecration of a new Bishop which took place at St Paul's Within the Walls. The Anglican Group that I belonged to online had been invited to this Convocation (we were a small group (about a dozen people staying at a Monastery mostly doing our own thing but going together to the Convocation)). We spent eight days in Rome in total (my pilgrimage and for me this was my first airline flight ever and there were three flights in total) which involved going to the Vatican every day of that week along with many many historic Christian sites). We then flew to London, UK on our way back to Canada. I experienced this incredible feeling of being home when we arrived at our hotel in the City of London itself. I couldn't put a finger on why I felt that way at that time but the feeling stayed with me as we visited a number of historic sites in London. Serendipity it is called apparently by genealogists!

My husband, always very involved with genealogy, persuaded me, as usual, to attend (and help) with Gene-O-Rama (a genealogical weekend in Ottawa sponsored by the Ontario Genealogical Society Ottawa Branch now Ontario Ancestors Ottawa Branch). That was the first time that I really noticed the National Institute for Genealogical Studies and I picked up a brochure. This was just 2002 though and I had not yet become involved personally in genealogical research. The winter of 2002-2003 one of my cousins in London, Ontario emailed me to ask if I would write up a profile of my Pincombe family for the Westminster-Delaware History Book that he was editing. I wrote back to say that I really didn't think I was a good choice but he was persistent writing back that another cousin of mine would do it but he thought that my grandfather had a grocery store on Wharncliffe Road. That was my uncle actually and I decided that at least the article should be correct and I had at hand the brochure to help me! I had two years to produce the Pincombe Profile so I signed up for English and Canadian studies at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Using the studies, and I had a copy of my cousin's book on our early families which did include a short section on my Pincombe family, I now used my homework exercises to search for information. Two years later I did produce, with the help of several of my siblings and a number of Pincombe cousins, the Pincombe Profile now found in the published history books on Westminster and Delaware Townships of Middlesex County, Ontario .

As I continued with my studies, I did become quite intrigued by all that I could find. But it was the advent of DNA testing that really convinced me that genealogy was doable. We tested our DNA in 2005 and the sixteen years since have been a time of great discovery as matches with cousins flowed into my account helping me to phase my grandparent's DNA and keeping me on a good trace-back. My feeling of being home in London was finally solved with the discovery that the hotel that we stayed in in London was right around the corner from my 2x great grandparent's Pork Butcher Shop (Henry Christopher Buller and Anne Welch). They lived there during the 1840s.

During this time I was also looking at the BLAKE family but I kept finding my Nicholas BLAKE being attached to different families that were quite impossible. Tracing back to their sources I came upon Horatio Somerby Gates whom I now know was a fraud. He created stories for Americans searching for their ancestry that were false. Had he troubled to look at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) Wills he would have quickly discovered that Nicholas BLAKE was not the person that he used to try and add authenticity to his stories. That BLAKE line over five generations (Robert 1521, Richard 1522, Nicholas 1547, William 1582, Richard 1622) left their wills and clearly indicated their place in the BLAKE family of Andover, Hampshire, England. Most of the discoveries about the fraudulent reporting were discovered at the NEHGS Library in Boston. Having provided this bit of background on my journey, I return to the intent of the post.
 
The will of Nic[h]olas BLAKE was written 31 May 1547 and probated 20 Jun 1547. Initially this will had been catalogued as Nicolas Blake of Essington but I sent in a correction and quite quickly they did get back to me and let me know that verification of his will had shown that it should have been Nicolas Blake of Enham. At that point I purchased it and transcribed it. I have transcribed over 500 wills mostly BLAKE and plan to complete the PCC BLAKE wills in the next year or so. I do have them separated into counties and I will publish them as a unit by county in *.pdf format and put links on my website to each county. I have normally done research on each will, where available, and written a short (or sometimes long but hopefully interesting!) introduction which is one of the take-a-ways from my one-name study that I will archive in the future with the Society of Genealogists and the Guild.

Nicholas BLAKE names his wife Margaret and as of this date I have no ideas on her maiden family surname. He names his children as William BLAKE eldest, Edmund BLAKE under 21 years of age, Alice Goodwyn (married daughter) and Elizabeth unmarried. Nicholas says that William is married and has children as the inheritance of Nicholas' daughters, if they die before inheriting, is to be divided up amongst the children of William. We can see the property in this will which has passed to William and mentioned in William's will in the last blog of this Challenge. William has added greatly to his father's holdings and again Lord Sandys continues as the Lord of the Manor. The holdings are all in Andover, Knights Enham and Kings Enham in Nicholas' will. William BLAKE is the first in this family to state that he lives at Eastontown and his holdings are much more extensive but still in the area of Andover.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6th May 2009
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/31/549
Name of Testator: Nic[h]olas Blake
Place: Enham (near Andover), Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 31 May 1547, probated 20 Jun 1547

[Left hand corner] Test[at]or Nichi[las] Blake

1    In the name of God amen In the yere of our Lord god a Thousand fyve hundred
2    Fourtie and sevyn and the last day of May I Nicolas Blake of the p[ar]ishe of Enh[a]m in the Dioc[ese] of Wynchest[e]r
3    being sicke of body but of good and p[er]fite remembrance make and ordeyn this my last will and testament
4    in maner and fourme folowing First I Bequith my soule to almightie god to oure Blessed Lady and to all the
5    Blessed company of heaven. And my body to be buried w[i]t[h]in the Church of Saint Michaell Th[e ]archangell Item
6    I geve to the Trinite Church of Wynchester vj d Item I geve to the church of Andever oon quarter of whete
7    It[e]m I give to Enh[a]m Church a quarter of wheat Item I geve and bequeth to Will[ia]m Blake my eldest sonne
8    the halfe of the Farme of Andever of my Lord Sandys holding which Robert Boswell occupyeth Also I geve
9    and bequeth to the said Will[ia]m the Tenement in Kings Enham of my Lord Sandys holding w[i]t[h] all the La[m]mes
10    lande lying in Andever feld that the said William nowe occupieth and holdith Also I geve to the said Will[ia]m
11    Blake my sonne my Leasse of the Tenement of the Lord Sandys called the olde hall w[i]t[h] all the app[ur]ten[an]cs ther unto
12    belonginge or lying in Knyghts Enh[a]m Also I geve to the said William Blake my free holde in Knyights Enh[a]m w[i]t[h] all
13    the appurten[an]cs there unto belonging Item I geve and bequeth to Edmund Blake my sonne the Leasse of the
14    Farme of Andever called Semers Farme w[i]t[h] all the appurten[an]cs ther[e ]unto belonging and walworth of my
15    Lord Sandys holding And a leasse of a Tenement in Kyngs Enh[a]m which is John Catts gentilman holde w[i]t[h]
16    all the appurten[an]cs ther[e ]unto belonging Also I geve to the said Edmund my sonne my freeholde in Andever
17    with seven acres and a half of arable land that Thomas Wescombe now holdeth with all the rest of myn[e]
18    erable lands grains pastures and com[m]ons of pastures of what nature kynde name and degre soever they be
19    which I do holde and kepe of any man[ner] at the making of this my last wille and testament Also I wille that
20    the forsaid Thomas Wescombe shal[l ]have the forsaid house that he dwelleth in for the terms of thurtie yeres
21    next folowing paying yerely therfor and to agree w[i]t[h] Margaret Blake my wife and Edmund Blake my son[ne]
22    Item I geve to Elizabeth Blake my daughter one hundreth of shepe and Twentie poundes of money at the day of
23    her mariage and her apparill. Item I give and bequeth to Alice my daughter twentie shepe and fyve quarters of
24    barley to be delivered at Michelmas next commyng Item I give to Sir Thomas Upton my curate to pray for my soule
25    and all Christ[ai]n soules x s. Also yf that it fortune Edmund Blake my sonne to dye before he be of lawfull age Then I wille
26    that my freholde w[i]t[h] all the other leases geven and bequethed by me to the said Edmond to remayn to William Blake
27    my sonne his heires and assignes And the goods to remayne to Alice Goodwyn and Elizabeth Blake my daughters equally
28    to be devided betwixt them And if it fortune the said Alice and Elizabeth to dye Then I will the said goodes to be devided
29    betwene the children of William Blake my son Provided also I will that Margaret Blake my wife shall have and
30    kepe all my free landes tenements holds leases with all th[e ]appurtenancs to them belonging which I doe holde of any man[ne]r
31    of man[ner] at the making of this my last will and testament during the terme of her life The residue of my goods and
32    c[h]attalls not gevyn or bequethed I geve and bequeth to Margaret Blake my wife and Edmunde Blake my sonne
33    whom I make and ordeyn myn executors of this my last will and testament Also I make and ordeyn William
34    Hopkins and Willi[a]m Aldred my Overseers of this my last will and testament for to se it p[er]formed according to
35    my mynde above specified Witnesse to this Sir Thomas Upton Curate Stevyn Smyth Will[ia]m Blake w[i]t[h] other
36         Probatum fuit test[ament]um suprascripti defuncti h[ab]entis etc xxth die mensis Juinij Anno D[o]m[in]o Mill[es]imo quingen[tesimo]
37    xlvij [1547] Coram d[o]m[in]o apud London aucto[ritate] d[o]m[in]o n[ost]ri Regis etc Iurament[o] Margarete Relicte executoris in h[uius]mo[d]i test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at[i] In persona
38    Stephe[n] Smyth procur[atoris] sui in hac p[ar]te Ac approbatum et insinuatum Com[m]issa fuit admi[ni]stracio o[mn]i[u]m et singulorom bonorum Jurium
39    Et creditorum d[i]c[t]i defuncti prefat[o] executrici In p[er]sona die proc[urato]ris De b[e]n[e] et fidel[ite]r admi[ni]strando Ac de pleno et fideli In[venta]rio secondo die post
40    festum s[an]c[t]e Anne prox[imum] futur[um] exhibend[o] necnon de plano et vero compoto reddend[o] Ad s[an]c[t]a dei Ev[a]ngelia in debit iuris forma jurat
41    Reservata po[tes]tate Edmund Blake executori etiam in h[uius]mo[d]i test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at cum venerit etc


The will of Margaret Mundaye now completed (an earlier blog post included only the first page and the inventory) as I have finally managed to get the second page as that film is now available at the local Family History Library. Margaret, at the time of writing her will was the widow of Richard Munday whose will was blogged earlier and also the widow of Nicholas BLAKE. She married Richard Munday sometime after the death of Nicholas BLAKE (deceased by 20th June 1547) and before the 11th May 1551 when Richard Munday wrote his will.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/03/will-of-richard-munday-monxton.html

The spelling is very novel in this will and I am wondering if she has written it herself. Margaret remembers her son William BLAKE’s children with 18 sheep and Edmund BLAKE’s child Steven with just 2 sheep. I am left to wonder did William have 9 children and indeed in his will he mentions ten children which may give me an idea that his last child Richard (my likely ancestor) was born after February of 1558 which does rather match my thinking. He is married likely by 1583 to 84 which would make him about 23 to 25 years of age at the time. So that was an exciting find in this will if I have correctly interpreted Margaret (my likely 12 x great grandmother).

This will also clarifies why William BLAKE ends up with all the properties of his father Nicholas mentioned in the will of Nicholas BLAKE. Evidently Edmund BLAKE did not clear his debts with step-brother William Munday and his brother William BLAKE so he forfeited all the properties and cattle left to him by his father. Perhaps 200 pounds was more interesting. I never see anything of Edmund BLAKE again except the mention of him in his brother William BLAKE’s will so he is still living in 1582. This is eleven years after the will of Nicholas BLAKE and Edmund is obviously an adult and has married. The page that was missing perhaps talks about Elizabeth (her daughter) and I may learn which Munday she married if she was married by the time of her mother’s death. Elizabeth’s brother William BLAKE mentions Elizabeth Munday in his will of 1582.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Feb 2014
Source: Family Search Film 186697, Hampshire Record Office 1559B/066
Testator: Margaret Mundaye
Place: Monkstone, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 18 Dec 1558, probated 13 Feb 1558/59

1    In the name of god amen In the yere of o[u]r lord god m ccccc
2    fyfe hundred fyfty viij the xviij daye of decymber yn
3    the fyrst yere of o[u]r souffrane lady quene Elysabethe by the
4    grace of god of Ingland France and Ierland quene defynder of
5    the faythe I margeret mondy of the p[a]ri[s]he of
6    monkston syke of body and of parfett remymbrance make and or
7    der thys my last wyll and testemynte in manar and forme
8    foloyng fyrst I bequese my soule to almyty god and my body
9    in to the Chyrche of monkston Item I geve to the moth[e]r
10    chyrche of Wynchyster xij d Item I geve to the parrashe chyrche
11    of Enh[a]m vj s viij d Item I geve to Edemond blake
12    my son ij hundard Sheppe ij horsys and ij keue and a belloke
13    and the one halfe of my hoggs whyche be in the costody of wyll[ia]m
14    blake my son and the howse that Alyxandar modell dwyllyth
15    in and xx £ of lawfull mony of Ingland so the sayd Edemend
16    do bryng ij suffycyent suertys to w[i]t in thre monythes
17    nexte after the deythe of hys mother and be bounde
18    in oblygacyan and in ij hundarde ponds to cleerly dyscharge
19    and requete wyllm mondy hys executor and wyllm blake
20    brother to the sayd Edemund of Al[l ]manar of detts
21    both pa[r]ts quarylls  leygesys and demands the whyche
22    aperythe in hys father wyll and yf the sayd
23    Edemunds refuse so to do that thyn all suche goods
24    and lands afor sayd to remayne to wyllm mondy and to
25    hys assines for eve[r] Item I geve to Wyllm blake Chyllydarrne
26    xviij shepe and to Steven blake the son of Edemend blake
27    ij shepe Item I geve to the Chylldarryne of wyllm hopkyns
28    Ev[er]y one of thym a ewe shepe Item I geve to alys klene
29    my wosted kyetyll at Inh[a]m and my best frockes and a petycote
30    Item I geve to Wyllm Mondy the son of Wyllim Mondy of monk
31    ston ston one cowe and alys the dowter of the sayd wyllm
32    To have the fyrste cowse of the sayd hewfer all so
33    I wyll that Alysandar meddell shall have the howse
34    in Andever for x yeres next awter hys leyse be exspi
35    red Item I geve to Johan dyer my god dowter one bolle
36    and the resedew of my goods moveabell and unmoveabell
37    I geve and bequeue to wyllm mondy my son whome
38    I make my full executor of thys my last wyll and teste
39    mynte all so I wyll that wyll that wyllm blake and
40    Robard blake and Rychard dyer Alysandar meddell for to
41    be my ov[er]sears of thys my laste wyll and testemynt
43    that yt may be fulfyllyd and kept and they to have for ther
44    paynys x s apeese witness here of Sir Thomas blesse
45    Clarke wyllm blake Robte blake ayhyre
46    Dyer Alysandar meddall w[i]t[h] other mee
47    P[ro]bat[um] f[ui]t hu[jus]mo[di] test[amentu]m v[ica]rio Robt
48    Baynolil leg[um] d[oc]tre  _______  gen[er]ali xiij die
49    Februarij 1558 p[er] e[unde]m approba[tu]m etc com[m]issa
50    f[ui]t ad[mini]str[at]io bono[rum] def[un]cti exec[utor]is
51    ______ patris ______ Jurat
52  
53    Overseer Richard Hopkyns      
54    son John Mody, executor      
55    deceased husband Rychard Mody      
56    appraisers:  William Mody, John Smyth, Ryhchard Buxe, Rychard Spenser      
57    witness:  Sir Martyn Vaysee      
58    The Invetorye of the goods and cattells of      
59    Margaret mu[n]dy yn the parryshe of M[o]nkston      
60    yn the cowntye of sowth[ampton]e praysed by Rychard      
61    eyer alexander muddel the viijth day of      
62    February anno domini 1558      
63    In primis j folding table      
64    It[e]m j cobbard ij chayres    x s  
65    It[e]m j whytche ij coffers    vj s viij d  
66    It[e]m j featherbed j bolster j pillow iij coverletts    vj s viij d  
67    It[e]m vij peyre of sheets    xxvj s viij d  
68    It[e]m ij dosen of platters j dosen of potyngers j dosen of sawcers    xx s  
69    It[e]m j bassoon j bassoon ewer    xxvj s viij d  
70    It[e]m j sylv[er] salt vj sylv[er] spons     ij s  
71    It[e]m iij candelstycks    iij £ vj s viij d  
72    It[e]m ij pewter potts ij serving dyssys j tynnyn salt    ij s  
73    It[e]m iij potts    ij s  
74    It[e]m iij panns    xv s  
75    It[e]m iiij cawdrons    x s  
76    It[e]m j chaffer j morter j skyllet    x s  
77    It[e]m ij arrondyrons and ij broches    viij s  
78    It[e]m iiij table clothes ij cusshens    vj s viij d  
79    It[e]m iiij score shepe    vij s  
80    It[e]m j fornas    viij £  
81    It[e]m xxxvij ewes    iij s iiij d  
82    It[e]m ij horsys    liij s iiij d  
83    It[e]m iij kyne a bulle j bullocke    iij £ vj s viij d  
84    It[e]m yn barly xx quarters v £ vj s viij d    iiij £  
85    The su[m] xxxiiij £ viij s ij d      

The next blog for the Blogging Challenge will include the wills of the known mother of Nicholas BLAKE and that of the likely father of Nicholas BLAKE.

This blog marks the seventh blog I will have completed for this Challenge and the two wills next blog will be the eighth blog. I believe for the last two blogs I will look at a different aspect of my BLAKE one-name study. I considered moving to another mystery in the BLAKE family but may change that idea!