Dogs are occupying me

 The dogs are keeping me pretty busy. They have been in and out quite a bit and with all the snow I need to clean them off each time on re-entry. They are enjoying the yard though although much smaller then their yard before the move; now it is a big place and they are enjoying it. After a few days of actual above zero degrees celsius, the snow had softened a little but it is back to being quite solid so they can run all over the yard now. Being that type of person, I have to keep an eye on them when they are outside like little children. 

I did not touch the books yesterday at all; the day simply flew by. I did make my banana bread though which is delicious. It is made with whole wheat flour and really does have a bread feel in the texture but the taste absolutely delicious. Probably I should make cookies and will think about that. When my youngest was about eight years old she started to make cookies and I haven't baked a cookie since but perhaps I could again! I do miss my oatmeal cookies for sure.

 It is minus 14 degrees celsius at 6:00 a.m. and we are promised 10 to 15 cm of snow today/tonight. The more the merrier one might say as we have a good pile now but the land was pretty dry last fall so extra works very well. Chicken stew was finished on Wednesday so last night was egg night - 2 hard boiled in case of bird flu (10 minutes) - with a tomato (fresh), slice of cheese, slice of buttered toast, 3/4 C of frozen peas cooked, and an orange. Tariffs are apparently coming though so no more oranges unless I can find European oranges. Then a slice of banana bread for dessert also buttered. I like to butter my cakes more than I like icing. I do wonder why a President would be so cruel to the voters who put him into office by putting tariffs on products coming into the United States. A much better way would be to support new industry developments in the United States and highlight them in his Social Truth Posts sort of like giving a "Royal Charter" to companies in England! But destroying the auto industry between the United States and Canada seems like a no-win for the auto-companies who know that to sell cars in Canada you need to be making them here and apparently the cars made here are sold here and we do not make enough so some are brought in from the Detroit plant to give them enough (it works) to sell (I think I got that right the other day from the interview). We are a consumer base here in Canada of 41 million plus people and cars are a big deal here. 

Today perhaps a bit of time on my work. The dogs like to lie on my bed and watch me work and they usually fall asleep. They are very well behaved and are first cousins but behave like sisters. They share just one grandparent and do not look alike other than that they are both big dogs. The one has this huge bark and I know that there is a squirrel in the tree or on the ground out front as they keep watch all around. The other dog is quieter but she is the alpha dog in charge of them. 

The dogs are awake. Must go and visit with them as it is nearly time to go outside and then breakfast. 

The North American Continent

Not much accomplished yesterday; a little more on the will. Must go back to the original and check the latin transcription and will likely work at that today. It is snowing and  minus 5 degrees celsius. We are coming into our heaviest snow time often enough. 

The world has changed and entered into a new era. I look at my own country Canada (or Turtle Island its original name) and when one looks back in time we have only ever been invaded by the Americans which ended with the War of 1812-1814 unless you count the Fenian Raids in the 1880s which the United States put an end to themselves possibly because they were protecting their foolish citizens who thought they could take over Quebec mostly (the British garrisons had withdrawn from Canada following Confederation (1867) during the 1870s for the most part). During those wars between the British Colonies at that time (before 1867) and the United States it was the First Nations, the militias in Lower Canada (Quebec) and the loyalist militias in Upper Canada who defended the territorial integrity of this land along with British regulars.  Interesting really given the current discussion. As we move forward becoming more diversified in our trade across the country and around the world one wonders looking back what other routes are really open to a country like ours with vast land areas and a polar region and a huge shared border with the United States than being the country we are today. We have coddled and promoted friendship with the United States because we share such a long border; it is practical for both of us to be friends (and it has paid off many times in the past which I have recounted). We built the St Lawrence Seaway at our expense but it is useful to everyone along the path. We have many Water treaties that give great advantages to our neighbours to the south.  I continue to say as I have for many years that we need to maintain our military and our military outposts (the Liberal governments have been the biggest problem in that regard but if one looks back on the Federation Liberation Quebec (FLQ) during the late 60s and 70s there was perhaps a certain concern at militarizing Canada which affected the Liberal Party more than the Conservative). I did think Prime Minister Harper was going to do more for the military but the crash of 2008 affected the rest of his time in government. But did we ever really count on the United States itself to defend us (we saw NATO in that capacity as that was its goal and we were ready to do our part as we have and are doing in Latvia at the moment and all of our support for Ukraine itself)? I actually did not particularly think of the Americans defending us as our military is always up to a good fight and anyone wanting to fight a war in the frozen north better be ready; the people that live there know that country. Plus the reality is that anyone attacking Canada is also going to want the United States (evil people are not going to want to share such a huge border) and they are more likely to attack them first since they appear the strongest! Pearl Harbor is a good example of that.  Also to be remembered we declared war (independently) on the Nazis in 1939 knowing full well they could invade us and we would have to defend ourselves if the United Kingdom had fallen and their fallback would have been Canada. Many many Americans joined the Canadian Forces at that time (Winston Churchill certainly pushed to bring the United States into the war when Britain was standing alone with the Commonwealth behind it but it was Pearl Harbor and the Nazis declaring war on the United States that brought them in nothing else). Many many of our industries quickly switched over to the production of war materials in 1939 - unfortunately war is always good for business unless you are being bombed! We did realize that Alaska (one of the American States) was really the first line of defense during the Cold War in the Arctic but they are the closest approach to Russia. But during these many years we continue to maintain an active protection in the north which does need to be upgraded and that will happen with a Conservative government. We thought perhaps peace had come but with our huge Ukrainian population we learned quickly that Russia is greedy and always wants what isn't theirs to have. They do not seem to know how to live. A pity really. My thoughts for the day. 

Certainly meeting the Russian girl that came during the joint Canadian-Russian Space Camp did leave a lasting impression on me of just how selfish people can be and not even realize it (I did often wonder if it was the only reason she came on the trip but getting a Visa on a moments notice to go to the United States doesn't generally work especially on a weekend!). 

Too bad as peace is such a beautiful word. Canada and the United States have been at peace for over two hundred years sharing the goodness of this continent with which we are blessed by the kindness of the First Nations to whom much of the Canadian land belongs and we live on their unceded lands. God bless the North American Continent and all who live therein. 

The snow is quite heavy now. March could be very very interesting. The dogs are resting after their runs outside - not too far as there is so much snow. It is wonderful. Lots of moisture for the spring. One can just imagine what the fields will be like all across Canada - pretty mushy! Good for the crops for sure.

 

It will be a slow two weeks

 Looking after my grand dogs for two weeks whilst their home is being painted. It will be fun. They love to sit on my bed and watch me work away on the computer. They are big dogs but kind to me. 

So not a lot done yesterday except amazingly I did do two blogs. There is so much going on in the world these days and I do get distracted. Premier Furey of Newfoundland/Labrador is stepping down. He is an orthopedic surgeon and came in to help during COVID which was wonderful for him to do that. He has been an excellent premier. Already someone has come forward. Canadians are very good at that; serving in political office and they are good at it. This is a huge country with ten provinces and three territories - every one of them very busy. With all the pipelines planned across the country it will be a busy building country and the inter provincial barriers to trade are coming down which will take up quite a bit of slack as we provide, just in case, for our fellow Canadians across the country with items  that we normally purchase from the United States. We were a very self-sufficient country before NAFTA/CUSMA although the population was smaller. But now at 41 million we are a huge consumer base. Our youth though will come to the rescue providing all the skills that we need to restore anything that was lost during NAFTA/CUSMA. The Status Quo suited us quite well but one has to go with the times. But on the news it is mentioned that there may be some different news than was announced yesterday; we will see.

Working on Richard Blake's will again today and the cleaning is all done for another week. Just my usual work week ahead except I have two large furry friends with me all day - dogs are the greatest companions for sure. Edward wasn't as fond of dogs although he grew to love our first grand-dog (our son in law brought his dog when he came to live with us which was great). Edward and I used to take him for walks. But as Edward became frailer and the dogs were bigger he was a bit nervous of them although they tried to be careful. These dogs are so polite to their family. 

So no more politics for a bit. I do hope that the Middle East can see the value in creating a space for the Palestinian children so that they can have warm comfortable clean houses, a place to play and good schools (I know that Islam is very keen on good schooling - Hamas is just a complete failure in all ways). So we will see on that; Israel can clean up Gaza and remove any unexploded bombs and do what should have been done three generations or more ago by the Palestinians - grow food there. After all when the re-organization was done by the United Nations the Jewish people left their greenhouses/homes/everything for the Palestinians and the Palestinians just destroyed everything. Who does that? Their minds really do need proper education right from infants to old people. I still remember the Palestinian living here (not sure if he was a landed immigrant or citizen) in British Columbia demanding on National TV in an interview that the Canadian government provide for many many refuges from Gaza that he felt should be able to come here like we had the Ukrainians (he thought a million had come but it is just 300,000). We informed him that all the Canadian government does for the Palestinians (exactly what they provided for the Ukrainians) is allow them to come if their background proves that they are not Hamas (Hamas do not deserve to have a nice life they certainly did not give it to the Palestinians and their treatment of the hostages has been criminal (two tiny little hostage boys choked to death and they lied about it how disgusting (who takes children as hostages only Satan)) - the Ukrainians here took care of their own once the government permitted them to come. There are 50,000 Palestinians here so maybe 15,000 households and if they had taken in 10 little children each that would have been 150,000 children. However, they didn't do it, we did that during the Second World War bringing the children from the British Isles to safety here (it is rare that the children of an aggressor country (Gaza was the aggressor since Hamas was elected by the Palestinians as their government) get to have such a gift). Strange people really but the UN has created this difficulty by providing them with 600 trucks of food, etc a day for years and years and they have become dependent. They need to look after themselves, grow their own food and create industries. Someone needs to educate them and the Middle East has many wealthy countries. We are not a welfare world actually and do expect payback at some point (when Gaza is on its feet then they can help to support populations that are in need like the rest of us). The United Nations does need to be better managed - billions of dollars have been sent to Gaza and nothing has been created there except universities (which can come in their time; I am a great believer in University Education just to round out the knowledge in the brain) but they need tradesmen/gardeners/farmers not academics. Academia can sit on the sidelines for a bit there (it certainly did here when settlers first came to the North American continent) and definitely no Palestinians should be around our children here teaching them. They teach lies. 

Daylight and that is the end of my rant on all of this today. We are busy here getting ready to re-create our industries so that the Americans do not have to have the nuisance of supplying us I guess. One would have thought that a consumer base of 41 million was a good business for them but the President indicates otherwise although I heard on the news this morning that there might be a change in that decision. We will see as I said the status quo is good for us - we like trading with our American cousins (in my case)/friends/neighbours and it can just continue as far as we are concerned as agreed in NAFTA/CUSMA. A deal is a deal after all.

Breakfast, the dogs are awake. I can hear them. Hopefully I will add more translation to this will today.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: Family Search – 186681, A-658 and Item 195
Testator: Richard Blayke
Place: Knights Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 12 April 1522, probated 23 May 1522

Wrapper: 1522 Rich[ard]us Blake De Enham
Wrapper: P[ro]batu[m] fuit  xxiij de Maij mu[ ]day infra villa de Andev[er]

1  In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ego Richardus blayke cy[m]pos

1. In the name of God Amen 12 day of April AD 1522 I Richard Blake being of

2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]

2. sound mind and memory but sick of body I make and arrange my will voluntarily  following

3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis

 3. in this manner In the first instance, I pray to omnipotent God the Father, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to all the saints

4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de

4.  My body to be buried in the parish cemetery of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel of

5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d

5. Enham  I give and bequeath to the Mother Church of Winton xij d I give and bequeath to the poor at the Church of Enham xl d

6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s

6. I give and bequeath to the parochial Church of Andover xx d I give and bequeath to my brother Thomas Blake xl s

7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habet

7.  so that it may be seen the will has been handed over to the judge and will be available when you hold the same. I also want that the farm   my wife has

8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in indentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s 

 8.my farm at the moment as expressed in the indenture between Robert Blake first 

9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d 

9. heir of my estate and my wife I also give to the parochial priest 40 d

10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei

10.  to pray for the salvation of my soul

11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego

 11. during his life and after his death the first year aforesaid at the Church of Enham Also I give

12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et 

 12. to each one of my children a cow Also I give to my mother 40 d and I will

13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden

13. 

14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori

14.  _______  The remainder of all my goods I give and bequeath to my wife

15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde 

 15. and to be my executor and administrator and have _________

16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]

16. 

17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus

17. to be arranged for me to please God and to advance my soul, the day given concerning the aforesaid year above

18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is

 18 Sir John Battey Curate Thomas Blake and Richard Goldyn with others released

19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in

 19. Proved on the 22nd of May 1522

20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]

21 with _____ in the Chapel below the town of Andever

21    Ergo fuit B bo____

 21. There it was ______

22    iiij Juin

22. 4 Juin
 

Seeing this somewhat differently this time, the children are young adults probably over 21 although he doesn't say that. There is more than one child. He indicates that Robert is one of the children and his heir and if I am correct his wife is Jone (unknown) Blake who leaves her will in 1527 at Enham naming her children as Robert, Nicholas and Elizabeth (married to unknown Mylne). Since he mentions Robert and that he will share the land with  his mother and then says to the children I am right there is probably more than a daughter. Within the un-transcribed text there does appear to be a daughter. At this point in time Nicholas is known to have died in 1547 and this is 25 years earlier. Robert died in 1542 and perhaps his will will be helpful. But I will continue for another day looking at this will. Richard continues to be somewhat of an enigma in all of this. I will use the original will as I go through this again to see if I have the latin correct as I did it twelve years ago.

 

 

Wealth in the wrong hands is poison to the world

The Arab countries in the Middle East should look to do what is best for the children of Gaza. Staying where they are is a psychological nightmare. What they have seen, what they have been taught needs to sink far back into their minds and become meaningless. They need nice homes, places to play and good schools where they learn what Islam teaches them (if they are Muslim) and to become fruitful efficient adults. They can not get that in Gaza I am sad to say. Israel does not hate the Palestinians; they show that in their actions. Leave Gaza to the Israelis to clean up and turn into the glorious garden that it can be. Over time perhaps the Palestinians will return to Gaza - the children will want to go back to their homeland because it is in their blood. There will be a need for all kinds of workers in time. But first the cleanup. What has been there did not work - Hamas was 100% of that problem. They just want to destroy Israelis - their hate is unconscionable. It makes no sense but yet it is there eating away at the Palestinians in actual fact and has been their downfall. We could see that here in faraway Canada as they marched up and down the streets cheering Hamas in October 2023 following the barbaric attack on innocent Israeli people. That is what is destroying them; not the bombs. It is sick. Not creating a beautiful country through three generations is a sin to me - as a child the news often enough contained yet another killing of Israeli children in their school yard by Palestinians - I am nearly 80. It makes no sense. It never has.

Egypt is absolutely opposed to the Palestinians being moved but can there not be a better solution than staying there with all the rubble; unexploded bombs possibly and pretty much every utility destroyed. Give the children a chance; they are healthy and seem free of any diseases and will grow to be healthy adults if they are given a chance. The life there is a psychological nightmare - we in the world can do better for the children of Gaza (and it appears that they do not cuddle up their children in the night with them to keep them warm as a number of them have died of hypthermia). Living in that rubble is not a chance; it is just an event waiting to happen in the future. The Middle East is wealthy; they can easily afford to house 2 million Palestinians for now or for ever. Who wants to live in Gaza as it is if they could have nice homes.

Israel deserves to have a better life too. Granted they have turned their country into an extremely wealthy society and it is a mixed society not just Jewish people. But their children live in fear and that isn't fair either. That attack on the music festival was an attack on that mixed society in Israel - Hamas hates Jewish people and anyone who associates with them. They are sick - they are satanists.

 Wealth in the wrong hands is poison to the world. Jesus taught us how we should live and we must to have a peaceful co-operative society. I believe that this is also true of Judaism and Islam. But why do I say that wealth in the wrong hands is poison? Because you have two types of wealthy people those who give back and those who want more wealth at any cost. They will alter a society so that the workers can benefit so long as they never get sick or need assistance of any kind - that will be out of their reach; they will not be able to afford it. If you do not take care of the old then money is saved with tax breaks of course because there is a surplus. Some wealthy people's first interest is in hoarding more and more money. Their second is in having safe places. They will burrow into the ground thinking that safety is there but just take one look at Gaza which was pounded with heavy bombs showing you just how far down those actually lightweight bombs compared to an asteroid can go - an asteroid destroys to a good depth (likely further down than we can survive; that is a direct hit). Life isn't about safety; it is about producing, giving back to society so that the children can benefit and then reaching the end of our lives knowing that we have left goodness behind and not hoarded money that benefited no one because in the long run you can not take it with you and your children will likely waste it - 90% usually do.

Second day of cleaning once again

I decided to change up how I clean so that now I do the basement and the main floor on one day and the top floor on the other day. I think it will work very well. It used to take me all morning to do the basement but now it is done in about 1.5 hours. 

I must say I did say to the Russian visitor that stayed with us that I hoped she would get to the United States one day. It was a pity really that she did not have a visa as we often did go there. But it was strange to chose to come to Canada as it was rare for the Joint Space Camp to be here; normally it was in the United States. Wow, that was 33 years ago now. I wonder if they still do the Joint Space Camp. I forget where it takes place in the United States. In Russia the children spent time in Moscow at the Space Camp just on the outskirts of the city (Star City I think it was called) and then a bit of time in St Petersburg. It was a lovely trip for them to take. The children spent about a year learning Russian to prepare themselves for the six weeks. My daughter is definitely a linguist speaking English as her mother tongue, French learned from the age of four years on. Russian learned in her teen years to prepare for the Space Camp and she retained it through the years. We learned Italian to go to Rome in 2001 (studied it every day for four months - she was quite good, I could sort of ask questions, understand what was said to a certain extent and read the signs). Since then she has learned Spanish and Chinese. She always wanted to learn one of the First Nations languages when she was a child and did learn to read some of it but the opportunity to speak it has not yet come to her. When she comes back perhaps the opportunity to learn the First Nations' languages will come to her. Time will tell. 

Prayers for His Holiness Pope Francis and that he is comfortable. 

Election ongoing in Ontario and the day will soon be here. The Conservatives are in the lead and I voted for them. I have returned to my normal voting for the Conservative party candidate. My foray into the Liberal Party was brief and I still do not regret it except for the period during and since COVID when money was just literally thrown at anything that they felt might work. I wish they would do their analysis in advance and ensure the people that work for the government particularly in finance (CRA etc) are doing their job properly. Waste is unacceptable in a country this large that requires a lot of attention on our part and has not received an adequate amount in my opinion since I have written about it for ages now from a military standpoint for over a generation. It isn't fair to the young men and women who go into the military. I do hope that one step forward will be giving them free education when they complete their tour of duty. The Conservative Party nationally has the military as the center of their platform which is perfect. But I do also like the idea of high speed rail. The train in France from Lyon to Paris is excellent and travels at that same high speed as is planned for the Quebec City via Montreal and Ottawa to Toronto corridor. When we were on it; it was very full. I see it as a business value principally but it could also have good military uses. We should build a spur line up to Petawawa. Getting to 5% GDP should be feasible in the near future. Just have to rebuild our lost industries due to NAFTA/CUSMA. It made both the United States and Canada wealthy but when one partner is no longer interested than we have to do something different; reach towards other markets; a pity really as it was a great partnership that President Reagan and Prime Minister Mulroney created back in the 1980s. One does want to avoid throwing out the baby with the bath water - the precious parts that have been created are very important.

I hope to get some work done on the will today since I will just be cleaning in the morning. I did find through the years for this Blake family that friction did exist between siblings and often property did present itself to be the contested item.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: Family Search – 186681, A-658 and Item 195
Testator: Richard Blayke
Place: Knights Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 12 April 1522, probated 23 May 1522

Wrapper: 1522 Rich[ard]us Blake De Enham
Wrapper: P[ro]batu[m] fuit  xxiij de Maij mu[ ]day infra villa de Andev[er]

1  In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ego Richardus blayke cy[m]pos

1. In the name of God Amen 12 day of April AD 1522 I Richard Blake being of

2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]

2. sound mind and memory but sick of body I make and arrange my will voluntarily  following

3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis

 3. in this manner In the first instance, I pray to omnipotent God the Father, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to all the saints

4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de

4.  My body to be buried in the parish cemetery of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel of

5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d

5. Enham  I give and bequeath to the Mother Church of Winton xij d I give and bequeath to the poor at the Church of Enham xl d

6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s

6. I give and bequeath to the parochial Church of Andover xx d I give and bequeath to my brother Thomas Blake xl s

7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habet

7.  so that it may be seen the will has been handed over to the judge and will be available when you hold the same. I also want that the farm   my wife has

8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in indentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s 

 8. expressed in the indenture between Robert Blake first 

9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d 

9. heir of my estate and my wife I also give to the parochial priest 40 d

10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei

10.  to pray for the salvation of my soul

11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego
12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et
13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden
14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori
15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde
16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]
17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus
18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is
19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in
20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]
21    Ergo fuit B bo____
22    iiij Juin
 

Continuing with Richard Blake's will

Cleaning day today so just in and out of this work looking again at my transcribing of the will of Richard Blayke in 2013. 

Listened to CBC yesterday for the talkshow on 51st State. Was quite fascinating listening to the comments from above the border and below the border. I can see it both ways actually but 51st state is a non-starter because we would not have enough representation (the very item that the Patriots fought for in the Revolution) and many many Canadians are descendant of those patriots including my own daughters as their 4x great grandfather Jonathan Mead the Cooper III was a patriot (amongst others - my husband had a mixture of patriots and loyalists in his family but there are actually a lot more patriots). Isaac Kipp married Hannah Mead the daughter of Jonathan Mead in 1790 in Northeast Town, Dutchess County. They came to Canada in late 1800 as settlers (land was cheap) with four of their five sons (Jonathan Kipp remained with his grandfather Jonathan Mead probably because his older sons had moved west towards Wisconsin area and he would have needed his help and he probably wanted to stay; after his grandfather died he came to Upper Canada (Ontario)). But there were lots of others equally drawn to Canada particularly southwestern Upper Canada (Ontario) in the early 1800s. We would have to be 13 States coming in (10 provinces and three territories and hence 26 senators not 2) but as I have said there is an enormous advantage to the United States if we remain Canada - we are your best friend at all times. We always have your back and we provide a perfect conduit for the people living in Alaska to go back and forth through Canada (I actually think Putin said he wanted Alaska back - perhaps they have lots of minerals, rare earths and oil/gas). We are best friends always. I have provided examples of why I think union would not be to the benefit of the United States. You always need a good friend especially when you share the huge border we do. We would need the representation as 13 States so that we can protect our huge wealthy country in order to preserve its gifts into the next century and beyond for the benefit of all of us who live in North America. That is our duty. A closer economic relationship like there is in Europe would be interesting, just one huge land mass that we can go anywhere without a lot of fuss. But one item came up, the value of the Canadian dollar compared to the United States dollar and I guess it is because he was too young, no ideas on that. But I clearly remember the last time the Canadian dollar was around 60 cents in value to the American dollar back in the late 1990s/ early 2000s. The Canadian dollar fluctuates for many reasons. We were going to the States a lot in those days. The exchange rate was huge but we went anyway as we needed to find all those graves of Edward's ancestors (many of them patriots as it turned out, nice the way they put an American flag on all of these graves that we found). A lower dollar makes our exports cheaper although we buy far more American items than Americans buy Canadian no matter what is said especially when you take the oil out of the equation. I guess to make the present administration happier we could just export less oil to them and keep ours here to refine that we usually buy back from them after it has been refined (you charge us 3x what we charge you for it!) The administration changes every four or eight years and is generally friendlier to Canada (we are good friends). Then it would be the United States selling far more to us. We like the fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter for sure. We could offset it by building our own small engine appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, lawn mowers - our smaller industries all got bought up by American companies during NAFTA and CUSMA - just to have balanced trade. Two methods were used by American companies buying up our Canadian counterparts - they either closed them outright or brought their own products here to sell them. Either way we lost a lot of industry with Free Trade (plus it isn't really free because there are already tariffs on our softwood lumber going to the United States!).

Myself, I would never support Russia against Ukraine or any other European country that they enslaved after World War II with the Iron Curtain (we did send the Soviet Union (Russia) supplies after Hitler's Nazi Germany attacked them but the axiom - an enemy of an enemy is our friend worked when it was needed during the dark cold days of World War II). My mother commented on that actually when I was a young child - she was not surprised that Russia rolled down the Iron Curtain. After all Stalin made a deal to split up Poland with Hitler's Nazi Germany and they did do that in 1939/1940. They also invaded Afghanistan much later and that disaster caused the fall of the Iron Curtain as they went bankrupt. However, much to Stalin's shock Hitler's Nazis invaded Russia and the rest is history.  Can Russia ever be trusted? At the end of the war Stalin said at Yalta that he would withdraw from the Eastern European countries but down it came that Iron Curtain and there it stayed enslaving millions of Europeans for nearly two generations. How can Russia be trusted? Peacekeepers are the answer. There will probably be a need for peacekeepers in Ukraine for a long time to keep the Russians from attacking again and again. My experience with the rich young Russian girl that came to the Space Camp here and stayed on the weekend at our house is reminiscent of exactly what Putin is like. Just always asking to do something that is wrong - she wanted us to take her to the United States and was her first comment when she arrived at our house (no hello as I recall). I, being the person that I am, said do you have a visa? I did say hello and welcome and then the answer. She said I could just lie and say she was my daughter. I said "not happening as we do not lie to the Americans at the border."  I moved on. She did not. We took her to see Niagara Falls (she did say she wanted to see it as it is one of the wonders of the world) and she complained all the way at how long the trip was. It is only seven hours by car - almost nothing in a country this large (I believe Russia is the largest country in the world; one would think they have more than enough land but perhaps they want these rare earth deposits that President Trump also wants in Ukraine - interesting)! Perhaps her rich family always flew every where there no ideas on that. Once there when she realized that was the United States on the other side of the Niagara River that was all I heard. Why can't I just go there; I said you "do not have a visa." I mean she was only at our house for a couple of days which we actually spent in Niagara Falls (going there and returning) - really a very strange child.  It just never seemed to sink in that there is an answer to some items and it is "no." In this case Russia can not have Ukraine. It isn't theirs according to the people of Ukraine and the people who support them and the United Nations which we were part of creating for just that instance. 

Anyway not doing politics; cleaning to do and the will to work on. A busy day ahead for me. Now that I am into latin I realize there is a sentence in this will I did not understand. There seemed to be a bit of friction between the two brothers Richard and Thomas and likely over property I think; still working on that line. I shall work away at that. I think that Nicholas (likely son of Richard) married Margaret the daughter of Thomas Blake and will see that a little later.  My proof for that is pretty weak but none the less it is  interesting. Nicholas may actually have been an adult at this time as he was just five years later in his mother's will and died in 1547 leaving his will. But only his brother Robert appears to have been given anything in Robert's will that was just blogged. Perhaps the eldest grandsons received something. English inheritance is very interesting. The first son and the first daughter were important in a family and the rest were just substitutes as far as I can tell. It was fairly common I think. But I could be corrected on that. Perhaps everyone thinks that way; I know I always thought of my two daughters equally not as replacements for each other. I could never have a favourite child; I think that is just strange. But then the child I miscarried (the first pregnancy) will always be in my mind safe with God. Like my grandparents, my parents and my husband, my siblings who have passed on in this life all safe with God. God is omnipotent and rules over all of us. We need to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ if Christian but equally the other faiths known to me Judaism and Islam also tells their adherents to follow the teachings of God, one God for all.

That reminds me; prayers for His Holiness Pope Francis. He had a good rest apparently last night but he is 88 and he had double pneumonia but doctors can do amazing things these days. Likely he will not get to leave that hospital until he is absolutely well. Doctors can be very insistent when they care for their patients.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: Family Search – 186681, A-658 and Item 195
Testator: Richard Blayke
Place: Knights Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 12 April 1522, probated 23 May 1522

Wrapper: 1522 Rich[ard]us Blake De Enham
Wrapper: P[ro]batu[m] fuit  xxiij de Maij mu[ ]day infra villa de Andev[er]

1  In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ego Richardus blayke cy[m]pos

1. In the name of God Amen 12 day of April AD 1522 I Richard Blake being of

2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]

2. sound mind and memory but sick of body I make and arrange my will voluntarily  following

3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis

 3. in this manner In the first instance, I pray to omnipotent God the Father, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to all the saints

4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de

4.  My body to be buried in the parish cemetery of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel of

5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d

5. Enham  I give and bequeath to the Mother Church of Winton xij d I give and bequeath to the poor at the Church of Enham xl d

6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s

6. I give and bequeath to the parochial Church of Andover xx d I give and bequeath to my brother Thomas Blake xl s

7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habet

7.  so that it may be seen the will has been handed over to the judge and will be available when you hold the same. I also want that the farm   my wife has

8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in indentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s 

 8. expressed in the indenture between Robert Blake first 

9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d 

9. heir of my estate and my wife I also give to the parochial priest 40 d

10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei

10.  to pray for the salvation of my soul

11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego
12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et
13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden
14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori
15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde
16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]
17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus
18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is
19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in
20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]
21    Ergo fuit B bo____
22    iiij Juin
 

Prayers for His Holiness the Pope

 Sunday and the prayers from around the world for the Pope will be many. He has been a great Pope of the Church. For me, he is the Pope of the Christian Church to which I belong; the Anglican Church was excommunicated centuries ago for choosing Queen Elizabeth I over the edicts of the Pope at that time. She was excommunicated along with the entire Church of England. It was a sad day in England for many who made that choice I gather because my grandfather was still talking about it three centuries later. He was definitely High Church Anglican and definitely a supporter of the Pope but his absolute loyalty was to the legacy of Queen Elizabeth I. Prayers for the Pope for recovery if that is possible. 

I was thinking about the plight of the children of Gaza a lot yesterday. Keeping them where they are with all that destruction (Hamas is responsible for everything that was destroyed, for all the lives lost in Gaza) and the constant presence of the Satanic Hamas how can they ever fulfill their potential as educated trained people of the world. Their best chance is somewhere else where there aren't bombed out buildings, where they can go to school and learn the truth about Israel (not the lies that Hamas doles out), where they can grow up and become the adults they need to be to create a nation for themselves if that is their path. How evil that transfer was yesterday. They treated the hostages like they were animals labeled and led off to wherever they wanted them to go. It took three people for each hostage - these young men were strong and now frail but their strength still showed as they smiled knowing that their release was near. How sick all of those people gawking at them having kept them in captivity for more than a year and a half. Are any of them human - the adults in Gaza? One wonders. For more than three generations they have whined and used up the resources of the world without adding anything to those resources. The function of the human is to receive the goodness of the earth, increase the goodness of the earth in their time and then enrich the earth at the end of life. The barbarism of Hamas will go down in history for the ignorance and lack of humanity that it shows. 

Church today online and I look forward to it as always. The theme especially interesting as we will explore how Jesus is "God with us." God is always with us I believe but He does not interfere in the lives of humanity. We are on our own and what we do in this time that belongs to us will shape the destiny of the human race. Jesus taught us the way forward and we must follow it. The ultra rich are in these times unwilling, many of them, to support a better life for the world; they care only for themselves and they will attempt to seek a level where the human race can be their slaves into time (lowest pay; minimum support). It is sad really. The workers of the world are how they earned their money not themselves. 

I shall spend the day thinking about/praying for the Pope and the fate of the children of Gaza. Gaza could become a no mans land managed by Israel (they bought it with their blood; the blood of the Innocents those two little ones strangled and why were they strangled that is the question) and brought to its potential as a fruitful field which is what God wants and expects of His people. That they will till the soil and beautify the world not sit around whining and complaining for three generations and then attacking their neighbour barbarically in a satanic fashion and then cheering it. How disgusting that was and still is. The children of Gaza deserve homes, decent schools where they are taught truth, and a chance to become effective people not terrorists like the Satanic Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis - useless people.

God Bless.

Voted for election in Ontario

Minus 20 degrees celsius this morning at 8:29 a.m.  The snow is starting to harden into blocks and fall off the piles. There is a lot of snow out there.

 Took the bus to the Advance Polling Station and voted yesterday, took about ten minutes roughly (and then another ten minutes in the pharmacy where I bought Voltaren, toothpaste and 81 mg aspirin back on the bus and home again all done in an hour). There was a small lineup in the polling station but they were very efficient. I of course voted Conservative. Plus I am happy to have military be the centrepiece of the federal conservative campaign whenever that happens. I would like them to go ahead though with the high speed rail as well. If they eliminate the dental plan (perhaps the provincial Healthcare plan could find a way to add dentistry to those who can not afford treatment that is needed where dementia appears to be a product perhaps of poor dental care - a slight increase in funding perhaps), I really think it would be cheaper to give the money to healthcare than to run it federally; when my daughter was knocked off her bicycle and her tooth broken that was paid by OHIP (so dentists must be listed with them already) and find a way to make the school lunch program self-supporting (the city could set that up and include the cost in their taxes, it would mean an increase in taxes likely). I definitely would have paid to have my children eat at school. I am sure if I concentrate on it that I can think of other items - although I support the idea of basic income we can not afford it at this time. But it would be good to keep it on the back burner of thought as the money is spent in the area where the people live and if it is a depressed area then the businesses benefit as well. Again I would like to see such a program very local - not being nasty but if the setup is from a distance then it is less capable of handling whether or not a person will really benefit from minimum income. There has to be a bonus to them and the tax payers - perhaps it pays for community college (we definitely need more trades graduates and it is a healthier lifestyle than sitting in an office). It must be strictly controlled.

Hamas continues to look healthy and well fed wearing new uniforms with their faces entirely covered like the cowards they are because like Satan they hide from truth. In a country that is totally cut off who provides for them - they should feel guilt to the very center of their soul to support such evil. All the people in the crowds gawking at these frail young men (who have been hostage for over a year and a half) are well dressed and look well fed. Once again the hostages are frail. Hamas is responsible for all the deaths that have occurred in Gaza - every man, woman and child. My respect for the Muslim world has gone down knowing that they stood by whilst all those children died. They could have saved the children of Gaza in their own homes far from the devastation. Those children continuing to live in the same conditions as they were will be tainted and unable to rise above the hate that generations of Palestinians have harbored against the Israeli peoples. They do need to have clean places in which to live; parks to play in and proper schools where they learn the real story of this part of the world. It needs to be free of Hamas - they are evil. Keeping those children in the same area is really a psychological nightmare and will only breed more terrorism. Personally I think it should be a dead zone with no one there other than the Israelis or their designate for quite a while - it will take a long time to clean it up for sure. Then like Israel it can be made to bloom and grow food for the millions which it could have been doing all this time. The Israelis have bought this land with their blood - so many including two little ones (nine months and four years). What justification can there be for the murder of small children - the two little ones returned dead to Israel.  The little ones souls are free now after being in captivity for so long; they are safe with God. Leave Gaza Hamas and one hopes it is the road that Hitler took because he too was so evil; too evil to live.

I promised myself I would get these wills done. Thinking about my reading of Richard's will and he refers to his sister in law (only one) and a nephew/grandson still working on that Robert Blake. That is a change from my reading of the will back in 2014 but my latin is much better.

Yesterday I worked on my Latin lessons, French lessons and German lessons. I am surprised at how much German I remember as it is a long time since I did any work in German (back when I was proofreading/copyediting there were a couple of times that I had German material). Interesting that my ethnicity is primarily English but also includes French (Huguenot, known to me coming to England in the 1400s) and German (absolutely unknown  although I continue to be suspicious of my Buller line).

Continuing with the Andover Hampshire Wills

I am saddened to see that a bill has been put forward in the Congress of the United States to withdraw themselves from the United Nations. The original intent (and Canada was one of the original signatories to the decision to create the United Nations)  was to prevent wars and give a place to discuss any items that were inflammatory. The United Nations has become involved in so many other aspects of life around the globe with which I myself disagree. Some of the additions have been good - support for children with UNICEF is one. But there are others that are suspect especially because they did not report to the United Nations what was going on in Gaza before the attack on Israel. Supporting Gaza through three generations has not worked and something should have been done there long ago. They are not self-sufficient and have made not any attempt apparently to become self-sufficient and they supported Hamas' barbaric attack on their neighbour. Billions of dollars have gone to them with really nothing to show for it. I would like to see the United Nations continue but there does need to be changes.   

Hamas did not return the body of the mother of the two small children but rather a substitute - that is an insult to the dead and unacceptable. They are such satanic people with no regard for human life.

The Americans are our friends; we share thousands of miles of border with them. The current situation will come to a remedy. Although NAFTA was interesting it has cost Canada most of her manufacturing industries which I think we should restore as quickly as possible. If our neighbour is choosing to close up shop then we need to be as self-sufficient as we were when I was a child. Then trade mostly amounted to driving across the border and buying an American item that we paid duty on when we returned to Canada! It worked. Although I think NAFTA and CUSMA made both countries wealthy in the long run (and Mexico also gained a great deal). God bless the North American continent and all who dwell therein. I think there are tremendous benefits to the United States for us to be an independent country - we will always be their friend. The Conservative party does intend under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre to build CFB Iqaluit, double the number of Rangers and more icebreakers for the North (that should see us come much closer to 5% of GDP). I also like the idea of high speed rail between Quebec City and Toronto (myself I see that also as a military venture to be honest) and the eventual extensions that will come on either end of that. The new pipelines will bring us closer together as provinces and will increase our ability to ship oil and gas around the world. This will be a great time of growth and we must knuckle down to the costs and make it happen. 

Coming along with this will and it had a few surprises for me because I haven't looked at it for a a long time (plus my latin has improved enormously). First of all Robert only names Thomas and Richard as his sons - Richard is executor of the will. The other Blake members mentioned are Andrew who receives a tenement for life (implies a sort of close relationship), Robert who receives a cow. His sister in law receives a ring (husband not identified). William Blake receives a cow. So interesting for sure. I wasn't entirely dependent on him having a son Robert it just struck me when I first read the will that Robert was his son. 

The wills of Thomas and Richard will be next. Over time I will perhaps fill in the blanks but they do not alter anything in this will.

Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 

Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521

[Margin]: 1522B-04 

1. In the name of God, Amen, the 16th day of December 1521 I Robert Blayke, in sound mind and memory  

2. have written my will in this way. First of all, I give and bequeath my soul to the almighty father God, my body to be buried in the cemetery

3.  of the parish Church of Saint Michael of Enham. Also I give and bequeath to the Mother Church 12d. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Enham

4. xl s  and one cow. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Andever xl sheep or pork ___ ____ _____ _____

5. have in custody I give and bequeath to my wife  £10 which Johannes Howton owes I give and bequeath  to my wife 10

 6. acres of corn/grain and 20 of barley I give and bequeath to my son Thomas 200 of the same I give and bequeath to Andrew Blake one tenement 

7. free for life I give and bequeath to Thomas Longe one plow and one chamber I give and bequeath to my son Thomas one cart and one whipblade

8. with parts and one part ____ just now I give and bequeath to my son Thomas one good arable sowing property

9. with  ___ and ____ I give and bequeath to Wylliam Gelzeyr one toga I give and bequeath to Richard Golding another toga I give and bequeath to

10.  Robert Tary one shirt I give and bequeath to my only sister in law a ring I give and 

11. bequeath to my son Thomas  two rings I give and bequeath to Robert Galavay one toga I give and bequeath to Thomas

12.  my son two plows I give and bequeath to William Blake one cow I give and bequeath to my son Thomas two chickens

13. and two rams Also William Fuynere owes me first eight bushels of wheat and any bushels 16d I also assign 

14.  to my son Thomas one of the tenements vacant at Rawkyns I also give and bequeath that one presbyter celebrates in the Church and Parish of Enham

15. for the salvation of my soul and for the Church for the space of one year I also give and bequeath to Robert Blake one cow and the remainder

16.  of all my goods, movable and immovable, by testament I also give and bequeath to my son Richard whom I appoint as my true executor that

17. that he may dispose for the salvation of my soul, in the presence of these witnesses, Father John Battey, Thomas Blake, Robert Tarry

18. and others

19.    Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente hereat I do dwelth nowe

This will did not have the Probate details although it could have just been attached to the land records since land was passed or discussed. 

I am quietly working away on this project which combined with the earlier work on the le Blak family may yet prove to converge. I also need to review the will of the Blake family at Speen which works together with this family at Andover. 

The property given to Thomas Blake at Rawkyns is interesting because it remains in this family for a number of generations. 

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: Family Search – 186681, A-658 and Item 195
Testator: Richard Blayke
Place: Knights Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 12 April 1522, probated 23 May 1522
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

Wrapper: 1522 Rich[ard]us Blake De Enham
Wrapper: P[ro]batu[m] fuit  xxiij de Maij mu[ ]day infra villa de Andev[er]

1  In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ego Richardus blayke cy[m]pos

1. In the name of God Amen 12 day of April AD 1522 I Richard Blake being of

2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]

2. sound mind and memory but sick of body I make and arrange my will voluntarily  following

3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis

 3. in this manner In the first instance, I pray to omnipotent God the Father, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to all the saints

4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de

4.  My body to be buried in the parish cemetery of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel of

5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d

5. Enham  I give and bequeath to the Mother Church of Winton xij d I give and bequeath to the poor at the Church of Enham xl d

6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s

6. I give and bequeath to the parochial Church of Andover xx d I give and bequeath to my brother Thomas Blake xl s

7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habeat

7.  so that I may be seen

8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in endentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s
9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d w[i]t[h]
10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei
11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego
12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et
13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden
14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori
15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde
16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]
17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus
18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is
19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in
20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]
21    Ergo fuit B bo____
22    iiij Juin
 

Ukraine

Prayers for Ukraine; God bless and you are forever in my thoughts. The continuing attacks by Russia on the Ukrainian people is a blot on the history of Russia taking away from them the glory that they won when they helped to destroy the Nazis in World War II. But the Iron Curtain that Russia as the Soviet Union created enslaving all those European peoples for fourty plus years after the second World War was cruel - it must not happen again. It is nearly three years since Russia attacked Ukraine and in 2014 an unsupervised election was held in Crimea which Russia claimed to win; Russia quickly brought in troops and took it over and the Donbas in Ukraine has been in constant turmoil by Russian agents since 2014 (eleven years). I believe that Hamas was emboldened by Russia's attack on Bucha (revenge taken out on a Ukrainian city because Ukraine fought back) - the slaughter was dreadful and Hamas thought they could get away with the same thing in Israel and the world would just look on. Hamas and Putin and his enablers are just Satanic - they are not human. They both deserve Hitler's fate (the coward's death). Two babies were delivered dead to Israel today - held hostage by the satanic Hamas. This kind of people alone are responsible for their deaths. They think they can steal someone else's land. No one should get away with it in this modern world.

Finally I am getting back to the will of Robert Blake made in 1521. This was grocery day (every three weeks in the winter or so, it has even stretched to four sometimes) and I spent my time once again checking the labels in case that information is needed. My usual menu in the winter is chicken stew for four days and then eggs and then salmon for the other two days. So I freeze the meat into packages and that is all done. I bought turnip, cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes as I was pretty much out of everything. There is a sweet potato to go with the salmon. We store a lot of vegetables in Canada in the winter. I also found bags of frozen spinach which I love and will put a clump in the stew. So I have frozen broccoli, cauliflower, peas and corn for my stew as well if I so choose. My refrigerator was almost empty but full again. I could go every week but I actually hate shopping and going out if I can avoid it. I like the fresh air but I just find that my work takes up all my time and I do not want to have to organize for a shopping trip every week. Shoveling the snow off the porch and patios gives me lots of fresh air in the winter and then lots of walks in the summer. 

I actually got my family to give me a pile of wills I already bought for Christmas that year (2014) as I couldn't think of anything that I wanted. This was one of them.

Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 

Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521

[Margin]: 1522B-04 

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] xvj die dece[m]b[r]is An[n]o d[omi]ni M ccccc xxj Ego Robertij  Blayke co[m]pos me[n]t[i]s et sane memoyre

1. In the name of God, Amen, the 16th day of December 1521 I Robert Blayke, in sound mind and memory 
 

2    asti[pula]tus testame[n]tu[m] [i]n hunc modu[m] In primis do et lego a[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo p[at]ri o[mn]ipote[n]ti corpus qu[e] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] [i]n cimit[t]erio
 

2. have written my will in this way. First of all, I give and bequeath my soul to the almighty father God, my body to be buried in the cemetery

3    p[ar]ochialij eccl[es]i[a]e s[an]cti michaels de Enh[a]m It[e]m do et lego ad mat[ri]ce ecclesie xii d It[e]m do et lego ecclesie de enh[a]m
 

3.  of the parish Church of Saint Michael of Enham. Also I give and bequeath to the Mother Church 12d. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Enham

4    xl s et una[m] vaccam It[e]m do et lego ecclesis de andever xl oves vel p[or]cus eap quod et iij ls quas yearly kyne

4. xl s  and one cow. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Andever xl sheep or pork ___ ____ _____ _____

5    habet i[n] custodia Item do et lego uxori mee x £ q[uod] joh[han]es howton debet It[e]m do et lego uxori mee x quarte

5. have in custody I give and bequeath to my wife  £10 which Johannes Howton owes I give and bequeath  to my wife 10

6    rodas frume[n]ti et xx ordeu[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo cc omn[ia] It[e]m do et lego andre blayke una[m] tenem[entum]

 6. acres of corn/grain and 20 of barley I give and bequeath to my son Thomas 200 of the same I give and bequeath to Andrew Blake one tenement 

7    gra[tia] victus It[e]m do et lego tome longe unu[s] diplade et una came[ra]cia It[e]m do et lego tome filio mee una biga and una whipblade

7. free for life I give and bequeath to Thomas Longe one plow and one chamber I give and bequeath to my son Thomas one cart and one whipblade

8    cu[m] p[ar]ts et un[u]m par[ ]  _otap nonap It[e]m do et lego thome filio una ara[bilis] terra que vocato bene semers

8. with parts and one part ____ just now I give and bequeath to my son Thomas one good arable sowing property

9    cu[m] ______ It[e]m do et lego Wyllimo gelzeyr una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego rycardo goldyng alia[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego

9. with  ___ and ____ I give and bequeath to Wylliam Gelzeyr one toga I give and bequeath to Richard Golding another toga I give and bequeath to

10    Robarto tary una tunica[m] It[e]m do et lego unicum que suor[or] meor[um] videlicet viro[rum] ac mulier[is] una[m] ane[llus] It[e]m do et

10.  Robert Tary one shirt I give and bequeath to my only sister in law a ring I give and

11    lego tome filio meo duas annulas It[e]m do et lego robarto Galavay una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego tome

11. bequeath to my son Thomas  two rings I give and bequeath to Robert Galavay one toga I give and bequeath to Thomas

12    filio meo duas diplades It[e]m do et lego Wyllmo blayke una[m] vacca[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo duas pullos

12.  my son two plows I give and bequeath to William Blake one cow I give and bequeath to my son Thomas two chickens

13    et duo verv[ex] It[e]m wyllmo Fuynere debet m[eo] first viij modios frume[n]tie et quo[d]libet modio[s] xvi s It[e]m Assigno

13. and two rams Also William Fuynere owes me first eight bushels of wheat and any bushels 16d I also assign 

14    Tome filio meo una t[enement]a que vacat[o] Rawkynys It[e]m do et lego volo q[uod] una[m] p[re]sbite[r] celebr[at] et in ecclie par[is]h de Enh[a]m

14.  to my son Thomas one of the tenements vacant at Rawkyns I also give and bequeath that one presbyter celebrates in the Church and Parish of Enham

15    p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo et p[ro] ecclie _______ p[ro] spac[iu]m un[ius] anni It[e]m do et lego robarto blayke una[m] vacca[m] et residuum om[n]i[um] bonor[um]

15. for the salvation of my soul and for the Church for the space of one year I also give and bequeath to Robert Blake one cow and the remainder

16    meor[um] test[amentu]m mobilium q[uam] immobilium It[em] do et lego ricardo filio meo quo[s] ordino meos veros executores ut

16.  of all my goods, movable and immovable, by testament I also give and bequeath to my son Richard whom I appoint as my true executor that

17    ip[s]e disponat p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo hiis testib[u]s d[omi]no johane battey thoma blayke robarto tary

17. that he may dispose for the salvation of my soul, in the presence of these witnesses, Father John Battey, Thomas Blake, Robert Tarry

18    et aliis

18. and others

19    Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente hereat I do dwelth nowe

One item I notice is that Robert only refers to Richard and Thomas as being his sons. That is very interesting as I thought Robert was also his son. Does it matter? Somewhat because the larger Blake family at Andover is descendant of Robert Blake who leaves his will in 1542. I shall go over his will more thoroughly to see what I can discover. It is possible that this Robert (who received everything that hasn't been named) is his son at least I think so as it would be unusual to give all your possessions to a non direct relative. 

So I still need to clean up the latin a little more but I think I have captured the gist of the will although the will is difficult and has a lot of cross outs and tiny text inserted so we will see how much I do add but for the moment I will move on to the wills of Richard Blake, Robert Blake and Thomas Blake. The one item of note is his only sister in law which would leave one to think he has a brother but one would not think the brother would also be called Robert but nothing surprises me in the Blake family with its many John the elder and John the younger. 

Busy day but I am quietly working away on this project which combined with the earlier work on the le Blak family may yet prove to converge. I also need to review the will of the Blake family at Speen which works together with this family at Andover. 

The property given to Thomas Blake at Rawkyns is interesting because it remains in this family for a number of generations. We do not know who Andrew Blake is but the tenement free for life gift does imply a close relative or who William Blake is but he only receives a cow so maybe not that close or could be a child at this time.

Rowing finished, running finished so maybe do a bit of weightlifting we will see. But I am more or less finished for the day. 

 

Another cold day at minus 20 degrees celsius

Winter has socked in here in Canada and the snow piles are huge but we are used to it; in my lifetime I have seen big snow winters and small snow winters but the temperature is pretty consistent. Cleared away the snow on the porch and patio again yesterday and it is punky now because it is so cold the moisture is sucked out of it. If it is a big pile you have to break it up to move it because it is like bricks which is why the Inuit built igloos to live in in the past. But then I lived in southwestern Ontario until I was in my early 30s and it is a different story with huge snowfalls because of lake effect snow - we had two great lakes closeby - Huron and Erie. They could dump a lot of snow on us in London. But we are equipped to move it and the grader has come down the streets here a couple of times filling the laneway. That is why I have the company mostly to move that heavy load which would take me considerably longer. 

Some work on  the Blake material yesterday but mostly cleaning and that is all done now for the week. It is mostly just to keep the dust down as the house being closed up like it is for the winter a lot of dust collects. I have taken to sticking the vacuum hose down the ducts for the heat flow just to keep more of the dust out of the pipes. Maybe it works who knows. 

I do want to continue the will of Robert Blake who died in 1521 leaving three sons - Richard, Robert and Thomas. These three men also left their wills as did their sons making for a good tree coming down as they mentioned their siblings and sometimes their nephews and nieces. The reference to Robert Boswell who was the father in law of the William Blake at Speen, Berkshire did generate thoughts on how the Blake family at Andover might be related to the Blake family in Berkshire and my speculation that the Blake family in Berkshire is descendant of Richard le Blak found on the Pipe Rolls at Wargrave (near Windsor), Berkshire in 1301. The movement towards the Wiltshire border is noted by finding them at Speen and then into Hungerford and down into Calne. The works created by Blake family members in 1690 and later in the latter part of the 1890s have introduced material that is also speculation but the 1690 is corrected by the 1890 material. However the 1890 material introduced the speculation by a fraudulent genealogist Horatio Gates Somerby concerning the Andover Blake family. My "raison d'être" is to introduce my own speculation (hopefully with sufficient proof) that this linking between the Calne Blake family and the Andover Blake family is much more ancient than either of these two charts demonstrate. 

I am still spending time on Duolingo learning/relearning Latin and French. My son in law is French Canadian and my intent to continue with that research is strong and in the future but I must improve my french in order to read more documents that I have acquired. I can get the gist of it but I want absolute accuracy and I am doing well with French as I recall the words from the past quiet efficiently as it turns out and that works for me. But it is also good to improve my spoken french once again as I was actually bilingual in my job. But I have become lazy in my old age plus I simply do not talk that much to people in general - we are all busy!

Tea is ready to drink and I shall work on my Solitaire puzzles. I rather think I am going to continue my membership as I really do enjoy doing my puzzles and they send it to me in Canadian dollars which is great (although I will look around to see if there is another program that is Canadian; I have a couple of subscriptions that are American companies - Ancestry and Microsoft and Netflix - there is a new series on Winston Churchill that was extremely revealing concerning the Second World War). As a country of 41 million we would be a great loss to American companies that have created their business plan including us.  Why not we share an enormous border across which passes millions of dollars in trade every day both ways and considering the number of American companies in Canada who actually have infrastructure here (and there are many) I say as I always do that we buy far more American than they buy Canadian simply because they are eight times larger and can produce far more items especially cotton which does not grow here, fresh vegetables in the winter and so much more! We had all of those industries (except cotton and fresh vegetables in the winter like cauliflower and broccoli) but free enterprise is a powerful tool that, if allowed, produces the best situation for the peoples of a country but it must be free of government interference. I think it is a pity to uproot American companies who have had the foresight to see how this great friendship has built such a strong economy on both sides of the border. Canadians buy a lot of cars - this a huge country and everything is far away that you want generally even vacations. The great thing about turning 16 here is learning to drive and then the next acquisition is a car for sure. That is how our youth thinks and more power to them (they live at home just so they can own a car!). When I was still living at home (married at 20) we had four cars in the laneway (I have six siblings and later there were more as the ones younger than me grew up and acquired a car). For us it is the passage from childhood to adulthood. We had our own car industries and we are clever people and can create anything we need if we need to. But the status quo works for us otherwise!

Arguing politics was part of my growing up and especially my uncle would present all the arguments to me when I was there in my teen years. Even in his old age in his letters he had his opinions which were always strong. I think that my grandfather was like that (he died at 53 when my mother was eight) and he learned from the best his mother's first cousin was Sir John Carling who was very active in politics from the days before Confederation into Confederation and still there in the times as Canada added more and more provinces to become the great Country it is now. The Westminster Model of governance is the best I have ever seen but I am biased (I will put pressure on the Conservatives to make it illegal to prorogue Parliament; it is not a good fit for our democracy when it can extend for months at a time; a week to cool heads would be fine but not for months). My grandfather loved to discuss politics my grandmother said (and she did not that was for sure) and he would present all the arguments to her time and again.  The Westminster Model of government is a very stable and fair system which allows for so many opinions and checks and balances in order to protect what really is the most important item in a country. Their industry and it is the industry that should dictate how they manage for the most part in order to create the best scenario for a country but we do need to protect that industry so that the benefits are there for the users. The habit of looking for the cheapest place outside of the normal area to produce items is a negative growth and must be cropped (government does that). Uniformity amongst allies is the best methodology so that you produce at a good price and create a strong middle class of the users of the industries thus supporting the industries - that was the purpose of NAFTA and later CUSMA. If it is lost then we must begin again and recreate our industries. Greed for money in the short term destroys good industry. 

Looking forward to CFB Iqaluit, doubling the number of Rangers and the icebreakers. I guess we know how I am going to vote. Building up our military is the most important thing for the future and it has been neglected but we can do it. Our youth is strong and eager to take up the reins of supporting Canada and they can create any industry that we need if necessary. 

The good news of the day from the Prime Minister is a new high speed train between Quebec City and Toronto. This is a brilliant addition to Canada and will help to make trade between the provinces even more efficient. One of the reasons that the British Commonwealth is so great is the decentralization of government from the days of the Empire. Countries were encouraged to set up their own system of governance following the Westminster Model although it was not forced on them. Government when it becomes too centralized over a large area becomes less efficient and the Commonwealth is a good example of efficiency within that group of nations that look back to the mother country as their example. They are all independent pretty much now and self-governing providing a good living for the peoples in their country in as much as they are able. There is a lot to be said for free-standing countries. In Canada's case we are lucky to have the First Nations very involved in all levels of government here; they have the knowledge of the land and how to work it. I look forward to the upcoming election to be honest. Canada can and has stood tall and alone many times but we are the best friend to our neighbours as that is just our way. I can think of so many great things that we have, as a country, created including the St Lawrence Seaway which was a massive task for a small country on our own but we did it well. Now I must get some work done; this workaholic has too many fingers in the pie. 

Minus 18 degrees celsius

 Another cold morning but also not unusual for this part of Canada this time of year. The second snow storm is finished and the cleanup and snow is mentioned for later this week. One should always be careful what you wish for but the snow load on the yard is now getting to be adequate to provide lots of moisture in the spring. 

Thankfully the Delta plane turn-over coming in from Minneapolis, MN at Pearson International Airport in Toronto had a 100% success rate in passenger and crew departing the aircraft (which was burning - one of the motors I think). Excellent work by the first responders in Toronto. I remember the last one in the early 2000s which was an Air France which slipped off the runway and over 300 people were saved with no loss of life. We will learn eventually as the plane is mostly still intact. All flights were diverted but a good distance away for sure with the closest diversion being Waterloo but most to Montreal or Ottawa so those people heading for Toronto had another big trip ahead of them to get home or where they were going. I actually have experienced flying in and out of Pearson on a very snowy day. Absolute clockwork on their part to keep the airport running smoothly. We are, in Canada, a snow covered country for a good period of the year. 

Cleaning all accomplished but no actual work done on my studies but maybe today. I had finished up the last blog with the Latin text of the will of Robert Blake (d 1521). I am going to check my transcription and convert the Latin text to English. I want to see if I had any errors in my transcription. I will do the same with the will of his son Richard who died in 1522. Richard had two brothers as well Thomas and Robert who lived into the 1540s and I have their wills as well. As far as I have been able to determine at this time Robert represents the patriarch of this Blake family (I do not know his parents) in the Andover area and his three sons all had sons and daughters which creates a number of Blake lines in this area. Were they the only Blake families in the Andover area? That appears to be true although the fraudulent works of Horatio Gates Somerby paints a different picture of this family and there are the two charts - Blake Pedigree Chart and the Blake Family chart both produced in England which have conflicting information. That is my goal partly in this month although it will be extended because I added in the Charts. The original goal was to look at the le Blak family of Rouen Normandy and see if I could prove that the Calne Blake family was descendant of this particular Norman family. 

Cleaning the basement has prime priority plus clearing away the snow I did not clear away yesterday on the porch and patio but the laneway is clear. So another busy day and hopefully it will warm up a little. My arthritis hates the winter. 

The first will in Andover area for a Blake is Robert Blake in 1522. I will continue to work on this both the latin and the transcription through the day but this is the large cleaning day so will be sporadic.

Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 

Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521

[Margin]: 1522B-04 

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] xvj die dece[m]b[r]is An[n]o d[omi]ni M ccccc xxj Ego Robertij  Blayke co[m]pos me[n]t[i]s et sane memoyre

1. In the name of God, Ame[n], the 16th day of December 1521 I Robert Blayke, in sound mind and memory 
2    asti[pula]tus testame[n]tu[m] [i]n hunc modu[m] In primis do et lego a[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo p[at]ri o[mn]ipote[n]ti corpus qu[e] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] [i]n cimit[t]erio
 

2. have written my will in this way. First of all, I give and bequeath my soul to the almighty father God, my body to be buried in the cemetery

3    p[ar]ochialij eccl[es]i[a]e s[an]cti michaels de Enh[a]m It[e]m do et lego ad mat[ri]ce ecclesie xii d It[e]m do et lego ecclesie de enh[a]m
 

3.  of the parish Church of Saint Michael of Enham. Also I give and bequeath to the Mother Church 12 d. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Enham

4    xl s et una[m] vaccam It[e]m do et lego ecclesis de andever xl oves vel p[or]cus eap quod et iij ls quas yearly kyne

4. xl s  and one cow. Also I give and bequeath to the Church of Andever xl sheep or pork ___ that and iij  which

5    habet i[n] custodia Item do et lego uxori mee x £ q[uod] joh[han]es howton debet It[e]m do et lego uxori mee x quarte
6    rodas frume[n]ti et xx ordeu[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo cc omn[ia] It[e]m do et lego andre blayke una[m] tenem[entum]
7    gra[tia] victus It[e]m do et lego tome longe unu[s] diplade et una came[ra]cia It[e]m do et lego tome filio mee una bictel[  ] and una whipblade
8    cu[m] p[ar]ts et un[u]m par[ ] notay monay It[e]m do et lego thome filio una ara[bilis] terra que vocato bene semers
9    cu[m] ______ It[e]m do et lego Wyllimo gelzeyr una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego rycardo goldyng alia[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego
10    Robarto tary una tunica[m] It[e]m do et lego unicum que suor[or] meor[um] videlicet viro[rum] ac mulier[is] una[m] ane[llus] It[e]m do et
11    lego tome filio meo duas diplades ab It[e]m do et lego robarto Galavay una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego tome
12    filio meo duas diplades It[e]m do et lego Wyllmo blayke una[m] vacca[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo duas pullos
13    et duo verv[ex] It[e]m wyllmo Fuynere debet m[eo] ppt viij modios frume[n]tie et quoliket modio[s] xvi s It[e]m Assigno
14    Tome filio meo una t[enement]a que vacat[o] Rawkynys It[e]m do et lego volo q[uod] una[m] p[re]sbite[r] celebr[at] et in ecclie par[is]h de Enh[a]m
15    p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo et p[ro] ecclie _______ p[ro] spac[iu]m un[ius] anni It[e]m do et lego robarto blayke una[m] vacca[m] et residuum om[n]i[um] bonor[um]
16    meor[um] test[amentu]m mobilium q[uam] immobilium It[em] do et lego ricardo filio meo quo[s] ordino meos veros executores ut
17    ip[s]e disponat p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo hiis testib[u]s d[omi]no johane battey thoma blayke robarto tary
18    et aliis
19    Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente that I do dwelth nowe

Listening to the Premier of Newfoundland

Premier Furey absolutely captured this moment in time by referring back to Newfoundland becoming part of Canada and gaining Labrador as part of their province (there does have to be a gain). I remember this and the fear of losing their identity as proud Newfoundlanders. The war was just over by four years and they lost huge numbers of their men in battle. Their pride in self was huge but economically they were better off to be part of Canada but they remain proud Newfoundlanders and proud Canadians. Many of them are my cousins on my Knight side with surnames like Snook, Knight, Ellis, and there are many which I could list but will not at the moment.  We in Ontario and Canada are willing to have a closer economic relationship but to be the 51st State we would lose both our representation in a much larger nation (2 senators is not adequate, we are basically 13 States) and our Canadian identity. We would lose the Westminster Model of Government which has stood us and the entire Commonwealth in good stead these years of growth and development. We would not have control over our natural resources to protect them into the future so that they are there for our great grandchildren to benefit from. I love the United States and if circumstances had been there I would be American if my husband had taken that job at the Library of Congress. He would have been a great value to them with his PhD and MLS. He was extremely knowledgeable. But I am here and I am first generation Canadian on my father's side and fourth generation Canadian on my mother's side and I am going on 80 years of age. I love being Canadian; it is my soul. Friends we have been for 200+ years. I stand proudly when the National Anthems of either of our countries are played. That is appropriate. That friendship is enviable around the world and profitable worth so much more than money can ever buy. Our trade deficit without oil doesn't exist; we buy far more from the United States than they buy from us (especially when you include the products made by American companies in Canada where the profits go back to the United States). We can sell our oil and gas to Europe which needs it desperately and at full price but the United States has benefited greatly from having our oil come to them by pipeline (cheapest way in the world) and then selling it at 3x what they pay for it (and we also sell it to them at a discount). We have many many American companies producing goods in their factories which we buy but not going to buy them if their isn't a Canadian component; we are not stupid our livelihood depends on that type of economic arrangement. We can make our own cookies for sure in a Canadian company but free enterprise being what it is our companies could not compete against much larger companies who arrived after NAFTA and either priced out the competition and then bought them out or just straight out bought them out. That is free enterprise and I am a believer in it. But if the world changes and NAFTA no longer supports a closer economic relationship then that is life and we move on. We need to concentrate on rebuilding those lost industries - make our own dishwashers, make our own refrigerators, cookies and all the rest. Seems a pity; it is like going back to the 1950s when trade was slow and no one was particularly wealthy outside of inherited wealth and the Iron Curtain had rolled down enslaving millions of people in Europe for another fourty years. 

That sad day on the 11th of September 2001 completely changed my mind with regard to the future of Canada as I was probably pretty much on a limb for that. That day we saw what can happen when terrorists attack our friend to the south. They closed their airspace leaving thousands of Americans stranded on airplanes past the point of no return coming home. We stayed open even though they asked us to close our airspace and we did around Ottawa to protect the American Embassy. The airplanes safely landed we closed our airspace - the Americans were safe and we were very happy about that. But I knew then that the greatest protection for the North American continent is our separateness - we can react as an individual country protecting this space in the world that the First Nations kindly let us occupy. God bless North America and all who dwell in it.

Second long snowstorm in a week

It is gusty and white outside my window but you can see the houses across the road. We, as a family, traveled from here to London so many times over the past fifty years through all sorts of dreadful weather. The children were so anxious to see their grandparents that they just didn't care; they just wanted to go. And go we did and return through some equally dreadful weather. Canada does get a lot of storms in the winter although it has been so calm the last couple of years but we have had breaks like that before. 

I dug snow yesterday; that was my daily accomplishment for the most part. I kept my patio and porch clear and just now the city grader went through and filled the end of the laneway. I expect the company will be along to clear that one of these hours - there is a lot to do for sure. Surprisingly though between last night when they cleared and this morning a pile of snow is once again at the end of my laneway after the company cleared it. Strange really - strong wind? The house next door to me sold and I do know there is a company wanting to buy the whole set of carriage homes. I do want to sell when I want to sell and that is in four years give or take. There are still another five to buy before you can demolish them and build condos or whatever. I have to say it would be a good spot for condos and I do not really care what happens. We bought this house new in 1978 and it will be 50 years old in 2028. It is solid construction but I can see the value in having condos with young working people using the train to go downtown. Housing is at a premium for sure in Canada. There is so much we can be doing internally that external trade is just something that can sit on the sidelines as far as I am concerned for a few years whilst companies decide what they want to lose and how they want to fight it if they do not want to lose it. Fourty one million consumers (and Canada is a growing country) is a lot to lose as a value in a company already established. When they held the meeting to discuss the effect of the train on the local area back in 2019 it was certainly mentioned that there would be people who wanted to do just that - build condos. Patience is what is required as a community ages. 

We are getting buried in snow and soon it will be to the top of the raspberry vines that I clipped off for spring growth. That will mean lots of moisture for the spring. It does help with spring forest fires for sure to have the ground fairly wet. Although sometimes the runoff is so fast that all you get is erosion and not great protection! but even at nearly 80 I can still move a lot of snow. It is just comfortable to have the company do it and good for business in Canada for the old to engage available industrial assistance.

Today I will probably along with the cleaning continue to look at the Blake Family Chart that the Blake Museum at Bridgwater holds in their collection. I would like to examine the second scenario presented for the Pedigree of the Blake family at Calne and this one includes the Blake in Somerset. But it does have this small section on the Blake family of Andover which I will examine and review against the know wills for these individuals mentioned. I can see errors but I will redraw it as it should be coming down from Robert Blake who left his will in 1521 (probated early 1522) in Latin which I transcribed a while ago so does need scrutiny but he is definitely the patriarch of this family at Andover in this time frame. His ancestry is unknown - is he a son of the Richard Blake who arrived from Ireland in 1441 and 1451 on the Emigrants Database? I have debated that especially as Robert's eldest son was Richard. There is a match in the yDNA database for a Blake in the Dublin area of Ireland who matches interestingly but his kit has never moved beyond 12 markers. Another Western Hunter Gatherer in the British Isles with the surname Blake! Whether or not I can find any ancestors to Robert at Knights Enham remains to be seen. I have not even looked at that yet during this period of searching. Getting back to someone born in the 1400s is something in itself.  His oldest son Richard died in 1522 and Richard's sons and daughter were already young adults as far as I am able to ascertain. So Robert was a good age when he died in 1521. I estimate his year of birth to be in the 1440s to 1460s. 

Writing this on Sunday and just about to begin my look at the second PDF for the Blake Family Chart. 

The Note reads: The exact connection of the Hampshire Blakes with those of Wiltshire is not yet fully established; the link here suggested seems the most probable. 

1st generation:

The top row has (unknown) Blake of Whiteparish, Wiltshire died before 1471 his wife is unknown but she married second Thomas Newman of Andover (there is a note: Came into Hants in 1471). The implication being that this young woman came as a widow to Hampshire with her two sons. This particular line occurs often in the books written on the Blake family by American descendants. I assume they are using the works of the fraudulent genealogist Horatio Gates Somerby. The material of HG Somerby was published in the 1880s and interesting this was the time that Nicholas Blake of Enham was then being discussed when my grandfather was a child living in Upper Clatford which is just immediately south of Andover (other side of the highway).

2nd generation:

The two sons:

William Blake of Old Hall, Eastontown, Kings, Knights Enham, Hants married Mary daughter of Humphrey Coles

Robert Blake of Enham married (unknown) daughter of (unknown) Snell

3rd generation:

 Children of William in 2nd generation:

1. Henry Blake     2. Nicholas Blake married Margaret daughter of unknown     3. Margery Blake

decessit                  of Enham d 31 May 1546                                                          baptized 1541              sine prole              Will 20 Jun 1547     Margaret married 2. Richard Munday                                                                              

4. Robert Blake 

decessit sine prole

Children of Robert in the 2nd generation:

1. William Blake (died 10 Jun 1552) married daughter of Robert Boswell

2. John Blake  

3. Richard Blake

4. Robert Blake of Enham

4th generation:

Children of Nicholas Blake and Margaret daughter of unknown:

1. William Blake of Enham married Avice daughter of Sir Ripley of New Forest, Hampshire

d 1582 

buried at Andover

2. Edmund Blake of Collingborn

3. Alice Blake married  Christopher son of William Godwin

4. Elizabeth

5. Ezod buried at Enham 1547 

5th generation [there is only information for William Blake married to Avice in this chart]:

1. John Blake of Eastontown near Andover married Mary daughter of Wm Blake of Eastontown (Issue: 2 sons, 1 daughter)

2. William Blake of Eastontown married Joan daughter of M Cobb of Swarroton (Issue: 3 sons)

3. Thomas Blake

4. Robert Blake

5. Edward Blake

6. James Blake

7. Peter Blake of Inner Temple

8. Agnes Blake married Roger Hyde of Hampshire

There that is everything that appears to be written in the chart. Bold is my addition along with the numbers for clarity.   The broken line goes back to:

 

I do think this dotted line is implying that Robert son of Henry Blake and Margaret Bellett has a brother (unknown) Blake with the writing (for further details of the Wiltshire and Hampshire branches see Sheet No 2) being part of this dotted line to the second pdf. 

I have not really looked at this chart in depth with regard to what was written about the Hampshire family - I glanced and thought this is full of errors and I am thinking that the author of this chart (if it was Edward J Blake of Crewkerne) was attempting to correct two items in total. The original Blake Pedigree Chart created for the Daniel Blake family in 1690 with additions and the work of Horatio Gates Somerby that he himself did not publish but created it for a Blake family in the United States. So an interesting thought actually that I have not had before. The author of the Blake Family Chart realized that one could not attach a son William to the family of Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake first and foremost and it is actually good to see that he made that decision as it just, with the available records, make sense. He would have had access to these same records as I have. One wonders what I would have thought if there hadn't been a yDNA Study of Blake with quite a few known lines being established within the project. The wills though do contradict what is written here so perhaps he only looked at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills and not the wills that would have been held at that time by the Churches in the various dioceses. I am not actually sure when these wills were handed over to the Hampshire Record Office. Certainly the diocesan wills in Somerset and Devon were in the Record Office before World War II unfortunately as that record office was bombed and the wills destroyed. 

I will now go back to the wills as I have transcribed them but it will take a bit of time working through the latin will of Robert that I transcribed a number of years ago but have now spent a year working on my latin so should be even better. 

The first will in Andover area for a Blake is Robert Blake in 1522. I will continue to work on this both the latin and the transcription through the day but this is the large cleaning day so will be sporadic.

Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 

Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521

[Margin]: 1522B-04 

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] xvj die dece[m]b[r]is An[n]o d[omi]ni M ccccc xxj Ego Robertij  Blayke co[m]pos me[n]t[i]s et sane memoyre
2    asti[pula]tus testame[n]tu[m] [i]n hunc modu[m] In primis do et lego a[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo p[at]ri o[mn]ipote[n]ti corpus qu[e] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] [i]n cimit[t]erio
3    p[ar]ochialij eccl[es]i[a]e s[an]cti michaels de Enh[a]m It[e]m do et lego ad mat[ri]ce ecclesie xii d It[e]m do et lego ecclesie de enh[a]m
4    xl s et una[m] vaccam It[e]m do et lego ecclesis de andever xl oves vef p[or]cus eap quod er iij £ quas yearly kyne
5    habet i[n] custodia Item do et lego uxori mee x £ q[uod] joh[han]es howton debet It[e]m do et lego uxori mee x quarte
6    rodas frume[n]ti et xx ordeu[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo cc omn[ia] It[e]m do et lego andre blayke una[m] tenem[entum]
7    gra[tia] victus It[e]m do et lego tome longe unu[s] diplade et una came[ra]cia It[e]m do et lego tome filio mee una bictel[  ] and una whipblade
8    cu[m] p[ar]ts et un[u]m par[ ] notay monay It[e]m do et lego thome filio una ara[bilis] terra que vocato bene semers
9    cu[m] ______ It[e]m do et lego Wyllimo gelzeyr una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego rycardo goldyng alia[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego
10    Robarto tary una tunica[m] It[e]m do et lego unicum que suor[or] meor[um] videlicet viro[rum] ac mulier[is] una[m] ane[llus] It[e]m do et
11    lego tome filio meo duas diplades ab It[e]m do et lego robarto Galavay una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego tome
12    filio meo duas diplades It[e]m do et lego Wyllmo blayke una[m] vacca[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo duas pullos
13    et duo verv[ex] It[e]m wyllmo Fuynere debet m[eo] ppt viij modios frume[n]tie et quoliket modio[s] xvi s It[e]m Assigno
14    Tome filio meo una t[enement]a que vacat[o] Rawkynys It[e]m do et lego volo q[uod] una[m] p[re]sbite[r] celebr[at] et in ecclie par[is]h de Enh[a]m
15    p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo et p[ro] ecclie _______ p[ro] spac[iu]m un[ius] anni It[e]m do et lego robarto blayke una[m] vacca[m] et residuum om[n]i[um] bonor[um]
16    meor[um] test[amentu]m mobilium q[uam] immobilium It[em] do et lego ricardo filio meo quo[s] ordino meos veros executores ut
17    ip[s]e disponat p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo hiis testib[u]s d[omi]no johane battey thoma blayke robarto tary
18    et aliis
19    Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente that I do dwelth nowe

Will carry on tomorrow at this point, the cleaning took me all day as usual but I thought I might come back to this a bit.