Will of Francis Buller of Shillingham - The National Archives PROB 11/445/264, probated 23 May 1698

The Francis-4 Buller will was a puzzle initially because I had a first page that didn't match the rest of the will. Working through the Visitation I realized that I was actually missing one of the Francis wills and at that time I also numbered the Frauncis Buller will as Francis-1 and it will be forthcoming after this one. I discovered the missing Francis Buller will in Cambridgeshire at Isleham. This was the will of the Father of  Francis-3. He outlived his son Francis-3 and his grandson Francis-4 (this testator) died just four years after his grandfather.

This set of five wills is giving me a complete picture of this family and I can eliminate all the sons in this family that did not survive to adulthood and the ones who did did not marry and leave heirs since the property passed to a brother of Francis-5 which will be the will I am downloading. Negative results are often as good as Positive results!

Francis-4 leaves the bulk of his property to his brother James who did not marry. I also have the will of James.

The next will is by Francis-1 and this is the will of Francis Buller who died in 1615 and he was also of Tregarrick and Shillingham and was married to Thomasine Williams. His son Francis (married to Sybill Nicholls) was Francis-2. Sir Richard Buller of Shillingham was the heir of Francis-1.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 30 Jan 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/445/264
Testator: Francis Buller
Place: Shillingham, Cornwall, England
Date of document: 26 Jan 1697, probated 23 May 1698
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Franci[s]
[Margin]: Buller
[Margin]: ar
[Header]: This is the last will and Testament
[Header]: of me Francis Buller of Shillingham in the County of
[Header]: Cornwall Esq[uie]r

1    I give unto Sir Rushout
2    Cullen of Upton in the County of Warwick Barr[one]t
3    and unto John Buller of Morvall in the County of Cornwall Esq[uie]r
4    the sum[m]e of six hundred pounds To be paid them within six months
5    after my death Upon the trusts herein after mentioned that is to say
6    upon trust that they the said Sir Rushout Cullen and John Buller Esq[uie]r
7    and the Survivor of them and his Executors and Administrators shall
8    from time to time dureing the life of my sister Katherine Carent put
9    the said sum[m]e out upon interest To such person or persons and upon
10    such Securities as they and the Survivor of them and his Executors or
11    Administrators (haveing the assent of my said sister verifyed under
12    her hand) shall thinke fitt And that they my said Trustees shall dispose
13    of all the interest and product thereof as the same can be made and
14    received unto my said sister dureing her life To her sole and
15    separate use and disposall exclusive of her present and of any and
16    every hereafter taken husband And upon this farther trust that
17    in case my said sister shall leave any child or children at the time
18    of her death That then my said Trustees shall as soone as they
19    shall have a convenient opportunity by and with the approba[t]ion and
20    consent of my brother James Buller lay out the said sum[m]e of six
21    hundred pounds in the purchase of Lands or other hereditaments
22    which said Lands or other hereditaments when purchased I hereby
23    direct shall be settled To the use of such child or children of my said
25    sister and of the heyres of such child or children's body and bodyes
26    the remainder thereof unto my said brother James and his heyres
    [Page 2]
27    for ever to the use of him and his heyres But in case my
28    said sister shall happen to dye leaving noe child or children then
29    my will is that my said Trustees shall pay the said sum[m]e of Six hundred
30    pounds unto my said brother James his Executors or Adm[instrator]s
31    or Assignes the securityes which my said Trustees shall then have for
32    the said summe in case it be then out at interest Provided alwayes
33    and it is my true intent and meaning that my said Trustees nor
34    either of them nor the Executors or Administrators of either of them
35    shall be charged with or lyable to any loss that may happen of the
36    said sum[m]e or any parte thereof nor be compelled to answer for
37    any more thereof then shall come to theire respective hands And
38    also that they may out of the said summe of Six hundred pounds or the
39    interest thereof satisfye and reimburse unto him or themselves all
40    such charges damages and loses as they shall sustaine or be putt
41    unto in or about the performance of the trust herein and hereby as
42    reposed in them and that they shall be allowed the same out of
43    the same sum[m]me wherewith they are hereby intrusted Item I give
44    unto my sister Jane Adams the sum[m]e of One hundred pounds and
45    unto my sister Mary Cullen Fifty pounds unto my Aunt Margarett
46    Williams I give Fifty pounds and the like sum[m]e unto my Aunt
47    Sarah Harle To my Friend Salwey Wilington Esq[uir]e I give One
48    hundred pounds To my servant George Baily I give tenn pounds
49    To my servant John Hibbley I give tenn pounds To my Coachman
50    Joseph Morse Five pounds and unto my boy Thomas Robins
51    I give tenn pounds to binde him out an Apprentice to some trade
52    all other my goods chattells arrears of rent dues personall and
53    Testamentary estates interests whether in Lawe or Equity whether
54    in possession or action or of what nature and kinde soever the
55    same be I give and bequeath unto my said brother James
56    Buller whome I constitute sole Executor of this my last Will
57    and Testament Injoyning him to pay all my just debts and legacies
58    and also to make good all such leases as have bin sealed by me
59    since my comeing of age In Testimony that this is my last Will
60    and Testament I have hereunto this six and Twentieth day of
61    January 1697 sett my hand and seale Fran: Buller. Signed, sealed
62    declared and publisht by Francis Buller Esq[uie]r to be his last Will
63    and Testament the Six and Twentieth day of January 1697 in
64    presence of Fr: Pengelly Wm Asheindon George Bailly

Will of William Blake, Gentleman of Saint Thomas, Winchester, Hampshire - National Archives PROB 11/635/263, probated 7 Feb 1730

William Blake has basically left his entire estate to charity. According to the Burials at St Matthew's Church, Weeke Mr. William Blake was buried 11 Dec 1729 and he was said to be of St Thomas in Winchester. This same online register does not list the burial of his wife although he mentions that she was buried at Weeke in his will. Genuki only lists the one Church of England with a graveyard (St Matthew on Stockbridge Road). Weeke is only ten miles from Goodworth Clatford which is just south of Upper Clatford and Andover is just across the main road from Upper Clatford. I need to do that to put these places into perspective with my own Blake line.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41984#s6  (Hinton Ampner)

Charity of William Blake for Charity School.

In 1738, William Blake by his will proved in the P.C.C. founded and endowed a charity school in this parish. (fn. 21) The endowments consist of school, schoolhouse and premises in hand; a farm at Sheet in the parish of Petersfield, of 53 acres of arable land, and 6 acres of meadow; 11 acres or thereabouts of common allotted under Sheet Inclosure Award in respect of the above lands; a farm at Noah Hill in the parish of Newton Valence, consisting of 81 a. 2 r. 29 p. of arable land, 4½ acres of coppice, and 5¼ acres of pasture. The farms produce an annual income of about £145. The official trustees also hold £288 17s. 10d. consols arising in part from sale of land and in part from investment of accumulations.

The trust is administered under a scheme approved 1 May, 1890.
Charity of William Blake for Poor.

The same testator by his will directed that £200 should be laid out in the purchase of land, the yearly income to be applied for the benefit of the poor of the parish. This was laid out in the purchase of 10½ acres at Rogate, Sussex, let at £15 a year. The official trustees also hold a sum of £120 6s. 10d. consols in trust for this charity. The income is applied in the distribution of coal, 5s. being paid to the sexton for tolling the church bell as per will of donor.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42026 (Weeke)

CHARITIES
The Parliamentary Returns of Charities for the poor dated 1786 mention that — Godwin gave £40 for the poor. In 1729 William Blake by his will left £100, the income to be disposed of among the poor on 22 July yearly, in memory of his wife's death, the clerk to have 5s. for his pains.

This William Blake has a nephew Henry Blake and a niece Ruth Blake and a god daughter Alice Fielder plus a cousin John Goldfinch. Searching find my past there is a marriage of a John Goldfinch to Sarah Cornish at Compton Hampshire in 1697. Compton is 2 miles south west of Winchester so definitely in the area of Weeke which is just 1.25 miles north west of Winchester. There is a John Goldfinch buried at Compton 3 Apr 1744. There are two burials for Sarah Goldfinch 18 May 1742 and 3 Dec 1746 both at Compton. No births for John Goldfinch that would fit into this area. Likely looking for a mother whose surname was Blake but not necessarily.

No luck looking for baptisms/births for Ruth and Henry Blake. The Fielder is interesting but again nothing conclusive. Perhaps there will be another will that might help link William Blake with one of the families in this area.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Sep 2012
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/635/263
Name of testator: William Blake, Gentleman
Place: Saint Thomas, Winchester, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:, 5 Dec 1729, probated 7 Feb 1730
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: middle English writing, 18th century
[In margin] T[estato]r
[In margin] Gulielmi Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen I
2    William Blake of the parish of St Thomas in the City of
3    Winchester in the County of Sout[h]a[mp]ton Gent being mindfull of
4    mortallity doe make this my last will and Testament in manner
5    and form following Imprimis I commend my Soul to almighty
6    God beseeching him for the sake of his son Jesus Christ to pardon
7    all my sins and to receive me to his mercy desireing that my body may
8    be interred in the parish Church of Weeke in the Grave Close by the
9    body of my dear wife lying there and as for my worldly Goods I
    [Page 2]
10    dispose thereof as followeth Item I give unto my Executor herein
11    afternamed the sum of Two hundred pounds and desire he
12    will cause a monument to be erected in memory of my dear wife
13    in Week Church where she now lyes Item I give unto my nephew
14    Henry Blake the sume of one hundred pounds together with all my
15    wearing apparrel Item I give unto my neice Ruth Blake the
16    sume of one hundred pounds Item I give unto the Reverend Mr
17    Murret Clerk late Rector of Winall the sume of one hundred
18    pounds Item I give unto Mr Thomas Massant of Alresford the
19    sume of fifty pounds Item I give unto my Servant Jane Young the
20    sume of two hundred pounds together with all my wife's wearing
21    apparrel and all my plate and household Goods Item I give
22    unto Mr Daniel Baily of Bramdeane the sume of ten pounds
23    Item I give unto my friend Mr Robert Burnet one large brilliant
24    Diamond Ring now in his possession Item I give unto my Servant
25    Jane Young my wife's Gold watch and chain Item I give unto
26    my God daughter Anne Fielder the sume of ten pounds Item I
27    give unto Nurse Spoare the sume of five pounds Item I give
28    unto the poor of the parish of Sparsholt not receiving almes
29    the sume of ten pounds to be distributed by the Minister and
30    Church wardens in such sort as they shall think fit Item I give
31    to the poor of the parish where I now live not receiving almes
32    the sume of five pounds to be distributed by the minister and
33    Churchwardens in such sort as they shall think fit Item I
34    give to the minister and Churchwardens of Hinton Ampner
35    the sume of two hundred pounds in trust and Confidence that
36    with the said money the purchase Lands or Rents of Lands
37    and that they dispose of the yearly Income or produce thereof
38    among such poor persons of the same parish not receiving
39    almes as to them shall seem meet upon the two and twentyeth
40    day of July yearly for ever being the unhappy day of my wife's death
41    except five shillings which my will is the Clerk of the parish
42    for the time being shall have thereout for tolling the Bell that
43    day yearly from eight of the Clock in the morning till nine at
44    which time the poor people to come and receive the money
45    Item I give unto the minister and Churchwardens of the
46   parish Weeke one hundred pounds in trust and confidence that
47    with the said money they purchase Lands or Rents of Lands
48    and dispose of the yearly Income or produce thereof among
49    such poor persons of the said parish of Weeke not receiving
50    almes as to them shall soon meet upon the two and
51    twentyeth day of July yearly for ever in memory of the day
52    of my dear wife's death at which time my will is that the
53    Bell be tolled from eight of the Clock in the morning till nine
54    and that the Clarke of the same parish have for his paines
55    out of the yearly Income the sume of five shillings at which
56    time the poor people to come and receive the money Item I
57    give unto my Cousin John Goldfinches wife the sume of ten
58   pounds Item I give unto my good friend Mr Stephen
59    Westcott the sume of one hundred pounds and I do hereby
60    nominate constitute and appoint the said Stephen Westcot
61    sole Executor of this my will lastly all the rest and residue
    [Page 3]
62   of my Goods Chattles real and personal Estate whatsoever not herein
63    before disposed of after my debts Legacys and funeral Expences for
64    which I will that my Executor be allowed the sume of fifty pounds
65    and all such Costs Charges and Expences as my said Executor shall
66    sustaine or be put into in Execution of this my Will are paid and
67    discharged may be laid out in the purchase of Lands or Rents of Lands
68    the produce of which shall be paid out in erecting and endowing a
69    Charity School in the parish of Honiton Ampner a[s] foresaid wherein
70    the poor Children of the said parish shall be taught to read write
71    and fast account and shall be subject to such Rules and Orders as the
72    Ministers of the parishes of Hinton and Bramdean for the time
73    being shall think fit to order and appoint whom I appoint supervisors
74    thereof In witness whereof I the said William Blake have hereunto
75    set my hand and seal the fifth day of December in the year of our
76    Lord one thousand seven hundred twenty and nine William Blake [signed]
77   signed sealed published and delivered by the Testator as the last
78   Will and Testament in the presence of Mary White [signed] Lucy White [signed]
79    John Alison [signed]