le Blak and le Blake

Reading through the 1200s and 1300s in the Archives (National Archives of the UK) and the really great part of this archives is they also include the Archival databases of the counties in England and other (like Berkley Castle). Eventually the Calne Blake family does end up in Gloucestershire after their mansion house at Pinhills is destroyed by Charles I because Henry Blake would not take a title. But interestingly I am also finding the le Blake family at Cam, Gloucestershire in 1332 leasing land  and the distance to Calne, Wiltshire is close enough (about 50 kilometres). 

Richard le Blak was on the Pipe Rolls at  Wargrave, Berkshire in 1301-2 and with him his daughter Alice la Blak and there is also a John Blak at Wargrave. Near to Wargrave there is Hamo Blak and his son Walter Blak at Waltham St Lawrence. This group of people does rather interest me because there are wills for the Blake family members in the 1500s written in the Speen Berkshire area that mention the Blake family in Andover. It is about 60 kilometres by present day roads which wind about somewhat so perhaps 50 kilometres or could be less. The interesting part is that Speen is closer to Wiltshire and just north of Andover. It may simply be coincidence and I want to avoid convincing myself that the le Blak family found at Wargrave is the Blake family of Calne unless I can find adequate proof. There are a lot of pluses for this thought - this was a Norman family granted a market license in 1274. Certainly Normans often received steps up from King William (Duke of Normandy) although this is two hundred years later. Most influential people were Norman but not all; many of the lords of the manors who existed before the arrival of William the Conqueror were still on their lands (although paying fealty to a Norman overlord for sure).  

The Pedigree Chart for Blake prepared by the College of Arms with material provided by the Daniel Blake family of London in 1690  and this is the top of the Chart.

 This beautiful manuscript is about four feet by twelve feet and is held by the Swindon and Wiltshire Archives. It is possible to purchase eight images that include all of the chart by writing to them. The cost is quite low actually. 

The beginning text reads: "The genealogie of the ancient and worthy family of BLAGUE, BLAAKE or BLAKE, of great antiquity in the county of Wilts, where they had large possessions in Quemberford, Calne and Hilcot with a fair mansion house called PINHILLS, now the seat of the family, a younger branch whereof transplanted themselves into Hantshire and settling at Easton Town, were owners of that and divers other mannor from whence the BLAKEs of Middlesex, etc. are immediately descended faithfully collected out of the several visitation books of the said counties remaining in the College of Arms and deducted to the issue of Daniel BLAKE of London, Anno 1690."

William Blake at Easton Town died in 1582 and this chart is produced just over 100 years later. His will, and over time I have discussed whether there was a possibility of two William Blake individuals living in this area but I have not found anything that would prove the presence of two William Blake lines other than this chart (further down) and the visitations of one particular family. The question in mind though is did Horatio Gates Somerby come across this information and simply link this William to Nicholas because of the wills of both William and Nicholas but then decide on the basis of the Visitations that this was a family descendant in the male line from the Calne Blake family? It is interesting and I have been on this route before but I believe I will devote the next couple of weeks to really looking intently at all the information I have collected; discover if I need to order any more material although I do have quite a bit already and then perhaps make a general conclusion on my thoughts and then move forward to the next stage of the book. It is at such moments that I ponder the thought of being there in Winchester going through the old records but I will leave that for another as it will merit a great deal of attention in the years ahead and I remain with the thought that what I have accumulated can be placed with restrictions to family only and academic researchers. I do not want anyone to publish my work beyond what I publish but using my transcriptions, thoughts and other proofs they can do as they wish with that information.

Time for yoga very shortly. This morning has been very productive thinking wise and I like to have these moments when I just stop and think about what I am doing and where I can go next. 

One of the problems with the text above from the parchment Pedigree is taking the line at Andover back to Roger Blake and Mary Baynard and naming a son William. I have never been able to find in the wills or the Visitations or any other document that they had a son William. That the dating of the death of this William Blake in 1582 and there being a will for a William Blake at such time is provocative because he identifies himself in that will by naming his siblings as the son of Nicholas. Interesting really and it will be an exciting couple of weeks likely as I work my way through everything I have collected including many old records. In my mind is the memory of my grandfather talking about Nicholas Blake and who  he was not. Why would they even do that as Nicholas died in 1547 leaving his will? He was not wealthy by any means although did hold land at Knights Enham. But the attachment of Blake lines to this William (lines that moved away from Andover in the 1600s) leaves one with a great deal to contemplate because a number of these descendants of the Andover Blake family much further down the line did move to America and became interested in their Blake ancestor (even going so far as to test their yDNA which is how I really got into this study of Blake because I have four brothers myself and did test two of them (one was already deceased) and the discoveries on their yDNA were most fascinating especially as they did bring home to me the memory of my grandfather saying this Blake line was always at Andover reminiscent of the language used by the First Peoples here in Canada. It is something that people say who have an extremely long connection to the land. Fascinating really. 

Time for Yoga.

Working on the Blake family at Andover

 Perhaps ten years ago or more I acquired images of a Blake Pedigree Chart created by the College of Arms for a Blake family line that lived in London at that time. Previously they  had lived in the Andover Hampshire area up until the 1600s. The chart is absolutely beautiful and I would agree with a great deal of it but there is a William (d 1582) that was said to have lived at Eastontown (I think this is East Anton actually) and descended from Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake and they lived at Lackham, Wiltshire England. Roger was descendant of the Blake family at Calne. On the Visitation of Wiltshire 1623

The Visitation of Wiltshire 1623 begins with Robert Blake married to Avice Wallop and they live at Quemberford and are perhaps the first Blake to live in the Calne area (I have a theory that they were found in Berkshire earlier). Robert's and Mary's son Robert married Margaret Englefield and their son Roger married Mary Baynard. The Visitation above lists their children as Sibil, Joan, Maria, John, Robert and Thomas. Roger Blake in his will only mentions his oldest child (Thomas) and his youngest Mary. 

I have discussed this before because the Pedigree Chart adds in a son William dying in 1582 and living at Eastontown, Hampshire near Andover. 

I do think that part of this is the eldest son of William Blake married Margaret Blake and has her father also as a William Blake. My thought is that this Margaret is actually related to the Calne line and not her husband John. He is descendant of William Blake at Eastontown who is the son of Nicholas which is made quite clear in his will listing his siblings. 

I have decided to now accept this idea as a reasonable genealogical descent for both of these Blake families although figuring out the parents of Margaret might be an added plus. The Blake family at Calne was large and the visitation in particular does not list the descendants of John Blake and his wife Joane (Clarke) although does mention three sons. Sons are sometimes left off of visitations but it is more likely to be the daughters omitted unless they married into a family that resulted in their being listed in that family's visitation. William names his wife as Elizabeth in his will but was she a second wife (the family was very large and there does appear to be a large gap).  He has a daughter Margaret but she is married to (unknown) Jarvis.

I had not actually planned such a long blog post. 

This is Sunday and Church online once again and I wonder which Church in England will be chosen to do the service. 

We are still somewhat in our warming period which is predicted to be much colder in a couple of days more reminiscent of winter. Climate Change is a challenge for certain and all the bombing that is going on in two major conflicts does not help the situation. 

Free the hostages Hamas as the International Court of Justice demanded. Leave Gaza so that the people there can make a life for themselves which doesn't consist of playing the injured for the cameras. It must be terrible to be in Rafah and I sorrow for all the children trapped there. Children are really pawns in the hands of Hamas and their parents; they can not escape. I wish the world would bring them out; they would surely go home again when this is all over. They deserve to grow up in a world without constant war waged by Hamas. They are literally being held by Hamas as victims for Hamas's desire to make money by fleecing the world and the people of Gaza. Save the Children. What do I really think? I wish that Hamas would release the hostages; that Israel would return to their borders and Hamas leave Gaza. Find another place to live; your time in Gaza has destroyed so many lives. But Russia started all of this just two years ago; complete abandonment of the world order that worked very well after the Second World War with the United Nations by invading a sovereign country. But they too are a greedy satanic people who have no consideration for the world but only themselves. Were we at a crossroads?; I do not think so although there was tension but it was more economic tension. Does no one think ahead; destruction of the world with atomic weapons is very final. Get along people. Grow up! Follow the commandments of God. Give the United Nations more power to stop these wars. Most people want peace but if we must fight then we can do that too. God look down on your world and see that peace could have a chance if the satanic Russians and satanic Hamas/Iran disappeared from the face of the earth. They are truly evil. Is all of Russia evil; no but they must discard the evil in their midst?

On to the day. Latin completed. Soon time for Church.

St Lawrence Parish Church in York was the online Church yesterday

The online Sunday service yesterday was Candlemas celebrated at St Lawrence Parish Church in York. It was a Candlemas Procession and a traditional anglo-catholic service. I feel so blessed to find these services online. I think part of it is the English accent that reminds me of my grandparents. It is a wonderful service.. 

We visited a number of Churches in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The Churches that are strongest in  my memory are those closest to where my grandparents went to Church. I was lucky to have had the time with my second cousin Ivan Kent (his mother was a Blake and first cousin to my father). When we went back to England to do some research at the National Archives Ivan was not well and passed away before we arrived. He had hoped to come to London and spend some time showing us the things he really enjoyed which included Wolfe's Statue at Greenwich. We did visit that and took the boat as he had wanted to do. I felt as if I was bringing him with me in my mind. 

Before the service I went and did my every few weeks grocery shopping trip. It actually took me seven tries to get the van into the garage as I want it to be precisely in the middle and absolutely straight coming  out again. It is the only trip that I make on my own for the most part. I did drive for my dental appointment but from now on that will be just a block away and a nice walk. I am getting ready for the possibility that I will not have my driver's licence after I turn 80 years of age. I do not want to suddenly feel lost if that happens - I need to prepare somewhat. And so I have. 

Then a lovely lunch after my 40 minute run. I do like to do that every day except the full day of cleaning. There is just so much a 78 years plus person can do in a day I am discovering. One is much better off to let the muscles of your body tell you how much you can do in a day and not your mind! 

I then watched an archaeology  movie on Netflix - Unknown: The Lost Pyramid filmed in 2023. Dr. Zahi Hawass was the Director. It was an excellent movie. 

I did think about the two books though for Blake and Pencombe. This will be a Blake day of writing and I continue discovering the online material for Andover which surprised me with comments on the Blake family at Eastontown. William Blake left his will dated 27 Jul 1582 and probated 14 Nov 1582. 

William died between 27 July 1582 and the 14 November 1582 when his will was probated by his second son William. This was the first long will that I transcribed after I learned to read the early English which appears in this will. It is seven pages in total and with very small handwriting it is 329 lines in total. I think he was a very precise man as he details absolutely everything that could possibly go wrong in the settling of an estate. He is particularly precise in how his wife Elizabeth is to be treated. I wonder is he so precise because she is a second wife? There is confusion about this William Blake of Eastontown. He writes his will, he is mentioned in several Visitations and he appears on the Blake Pedigree chart held by the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. I wander between two thoughts with regard to this William Blake. Either he is the same man appearing on all of these documents or there are two William Blake gentlemen living at Eastontowne who died in the same year 1582. What are the odds? I have no idea actually and continue to hunt out references to William Blake to see if I can determine if he was the only William Blake who died at Eastontown and was the father of two successive sets of children (all named in his will but a couple of differences which will need accommodation.

William then names his brother Edmund who must still be living in 1582 although I have yet to find him. He also mentions his sisters Elizabeth Monday and Ann Godwyn. These are the same children that Nicholas Blake names as his children along with William. William is now located in the family that lived at Enham (near Andover prior to 1527 when his grandmother Jone Blake widow left her will naming her sons Robert and Nicholas and her daughter Elizabeth married to Mr. Mylne). This William was also mentioned in the will of William Blake of Speen Berkshire probated 28 Jul 1552. But I must not get ahead of  myself. I need to begin as far back as I am able which means I must locate the reference to a John Blake in the 1310s. 

Today though is the large cleaning day so not a lot will be done on the Blake book today. Plus I must think about the two newsletters I am committed to: The H11 Newsletter which I will only publish once a year unless there is an interesting story to publish as I only do the breakdown once a year. The Kipp Newsletter which will only deal with yDNA. Edward left the yDNA mostly to me since I was into that type of discussion but he did carry on correspondence with a number of individuals re the yDNA. He was more into autosomal DNA and had asked a number of his third and second cousins to test as he was looking for a couple of links that were missing. Most of them did test for him which was nice but I have not been involved in that part of his study and my brain seems a bit full at the moment to contemplate taking that discussion on from where he left it. It might be something my daughter might do when she retires. It is something that can amazingly sit on the back burner for quite a while. 

Other than that the day begins. Cleaning both floors today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will of William Blake the elder, Gent, Eastontowne, Hampshire - Hampshire Record Office 1645A-05, probated 21 Nov 1645

The testator is William Blake the Elder of Eastontowne. Looking at the will of Nicholas who was a younger brother of William Blake the Elder of Eastontowne I am trying to decide if I have placed this William in the right family. Nicholas left his will in 1642 where he named his nephew William (son of William Blake the elder of Eastontowne) and his five children. If I am correct and this is William Blake married first to Anne Tutt then the present testator only mentions his children and makes no mention of grand children. Mind you his second wife Dorothy is having a child at the time of the writing of this will so perhaps his thoughts are far from grandchildren to be sure! His date of death is given in the inventory as 21 Oct 1645.

Names mentioned in the will:

William Blake, the elder, Eastontowne, testator
William Blake, eldest son of the testator
Alice Hellier, daughter
Robert Blake, son
Thomas Blake, son
William Blake the younger, son
Dorthy Blake, daughter
Nicholas Blake, son
Jeane Blake, daughter
Dorcas Blake, daughter
Rachel Blake, daughter
Dorothy Blake, wife
Mr. William Gold, overseer, friend
Mr. John Pope, overseer, friend, Andover
M Couche, witness
John Sewell, clerke, witness

Nicholas, brother of the testator, in his will which is blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/will-of-nicholas-blake-gentleman-of.html

Perhaps the most important item I learn from this will is that William does not mention a son Richard. Mind you Richard Blake died in 1622 so it would not be odd that he was not mentioned if he was his son but it is the age difference that is intriguing. Richard when he died had grandchildren. If William was his father it is amazing that he is still having children. To be the father of Richard (married circa early 1580s) he would have had to be born by at least the early 1540s which would make him over one hundred years of age. This will does rather cinch the argument and definitely Richard Blake married to Jone Blake and leaving his will in 1622 is not the son of the present testator.

Nicholas in his will above talks about his brother as if he is still living which he is according to this will. William, however, is not helpful. He doesn’t really mention anyone other than his own children thus making it more difficult to place him. But putting his will together with the will of Nicholas does give credence to the thought that this is William who first married Anne Tutt and then later married Dorothy (unknown) and that they had a second family. By reading the will it does appear that William, Alice Hellier, Robert and Thomas are older and have probably already received their portions. William the younger and Dorothy appear to be the oldest of the second marriage and their legacys are dependent on each other or separate depending on whether or not they both survive. Then the four younger children are linked together but if both William and Dorothy die then they will inherit the lot with the unborn child already taken care of if he/she survives.

The Inventory is very extensive and most interesting as is the single item showing how much money is owed to this William. What he is giving the younger children is really a very small inheritance given the amount of money that is owed to William. 

Nicholas in his will refers to his brother at Eastontowne and his nephew at Eastontowne. He refers to his cousin Joseph Hinxman senior, his son Joseph Hinxman junior and William Blake of Andover and Richard Blake his son and he calls them all cousin. They could be his cousins in two different ways 1. Jone Blake (the mother of William Blake of Andover) and wife of Richard Blake would be his maternal aunt (if Richard is a brother of his father William which is my thought). Or 2. William (father of the testator) had a brother Richard in which case Richard would be his uncle with wife Jone Blake. Jone Blake is perhaps a grand daughter of Robert Blake (brother of Nicholas who was the father of William Blake and grandfather of William Blake married to Margaret Hibberd (parents of the testator)).

All in all a good will to have purchased and transcribed. The father of the testator was the largest inheritor from his father’s will and it would be great to find the will for the eldest brother John.

Thomas Blake Junior is a bit of a mystery as one of the appraisers.The inventory is out of order as page 3 precedes page 2. Changing it is a task that I will assign to later!

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 3 Feb 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1645A-05
Testator: William Blake the Elder, Gent
Place: Eastontowne, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 18 Jul 1644, probated 21 Nov 1645
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1645A-05

1    In the name of God Amen I William Blake the Elder of Eastontowne w[i]thin the parish of Andever in the County of
2    South[ampto]n gent: being in hea[l]th of body and of p[er]fect memory I thank my god But for the better settling of my Estate and
3    p[re]paring my soll for god doe make this my last Will and Testament the eighteenth day of July in the yeare of
4    o[u]r Lord god one thousand six hundred fowerty and fower hereby revoking all former Wills in manner and forme following
5    First I bequeathe my soule into the hands of my most mercifull god and my body to the earthe And as concerning
6    my temporall estate First I give to the Church of Andever ten shillings It[e]m to the poore of Andever twenty
7    shillings It[e]m to the poore of Knights Enham five shillings both w[hi]ch legacyes to the poore to bee bestowed by the
8    discretion of my Executrix hereafter named It[e]m I give to my eldest son William twelve pence It[e]m to my daughter
9    Alice Hellier twenty shillings It[e]m to my son Robert twelve pence It[e]m to my son Thomas twenty pounds It[e]m
10    to my son William the younger three score pounds to bee payde him when he shall attayne the age of one
11    and twenty years It[e]m to my daughter Dorothy three score pounds to be payde her at one and twenty years of age
12    or w[it]hin sixe moneths after hir marriage such shall first happen It[e]m I give to my son Nicholas and my
13    three daughters Jeane Dorcas and Rachel each of them forty pounds a peece to be payde unto them
14    at theyre respective ages of one and twenty years or w[it]hin six moneths after theyre respective marriages
15    and if any of them dye before the tyme limited for the payment of theyre legacyies then his, her or theyre
16    legacyes to be equally devided amongst the survivors of my fower last named children It[e]m whereas my Wife
17    is nowe greate w[i]th child I give unto that child that shalbe borne sixty pounds And my Will is if my
18    son William dye before the younger dye before his his legacy becom due then his sayde legacy to bee payde
19    to his sister Dorothy and if my daughter Dorothy dye before hir legacy becom due then to he and
20    remayne to hir brother my son William the younger And if they bothe happen to dye then theyre
21    por[t]ions to remayne to bee equally devided amongst theyre yonger brethren and sisters It[e]m my Will
22    is that all the sev[er]all legacyes shalbe payde out of such debts as nowe are or hereafter shalbe owing unto me
23    from my son William the elder and others at the tyme of my decease All the rest of my moveables money
24    plate goods Cattell and Chattells whatsoever I give and bequeath unto my welbeloved wife Dorothy
25    whome I make Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I desyre my welbeloved
26    friends Mr William Gold and Mr John Pope of Andever to be overseers of this my last Will
27    and testament desyreing them to give theyre best assistance and advise to my sayde Executrixe
28    to see this my last will p[er]formed fir those paynes as a testimony of my love to them
29    I give to each of them tene shillings six pence to buy them a payre of gloues In witness
30    that this is my last will and testament I have herunto set my hand and seale the day
31    and yeere first above written
32    Will[ia]m Blake
33    Memorand that the above named
34    William Blake did publish and declare
35    that this sheate of pap[er] dothe conteyne
36    his last will and testament in the p[re]sence
37    of us  M Couche
38    John Sewell Clerke
39    _____________ Posi
40    xxi me die mensis Novembris Anno
41    d[om]ini 1645
43    Probatum fuit humoi testa[mentum] in ____ forma Coram venti viro Willmo Trussell
44    Cliro Archi Magro Substitito etc Comssa adne Dorothea Blake vid relict
45    ac unisie Executrici in humoi testam[en]to nominat et constitute de bene etc deg
46    Solvent debita eg legata etc Jurat p Sohr uxta etc Salvo Jcore cinscunqz
47    Oblig ipsa vul et
    [Page 2]
48    An inventory taken the Eight of Novemb[e]r of all the goods and chattles of
49    William Blake the elder of Eastontowne in the p[ar]ishe of Andever
50    deceased this life the 21 of Octob[e]r 1645
51            £         s          d
52    Imprimis     first 11 burr    1         5          0
53    In the Scullery    # 7 kivers    0         10       16
54        # 1 ______    0          2          6
55        # 1 poudringe Tobe    0          2          0
56        # 1 tonbole    0          0          6
57        # 1 Stone silve    0          5          0
58        # 3 Stones    0          3          0
59        # 2 hanging shelfes    0          1          0
60    In the Wourke house    # for a hatchatt some agers and divers
other small thinges    01        0          0
61    In the Lower Chambers    # 1 beadstead w[i]th a cord and matte
# 1 feather bead bolster 2 blancetts
one cover bed:    4          0          0
62    In the L_ne
lennen + chamb[er]    # 1 feather bead w[i]th a bolster coverbead
# 2 blancets 1 beadsteed w[i]th cords    3         10         0
63        # 1 presse one side bead 1 chaire
1 long stoule 1 deaske    1           0         0
64    Over the parler    # 2 Joyne beadsteeds w]i]th cords one
feather bead 2 bolsters 3 cover lides 1 blancett    4           0         0
65        # 1 Truckell beadsteede w[i]th cord    0           5         0
66        # 1 Chisracke side Table 2 paire
of Courtin rods 1 side Cobert 1 box    0          10        0
67    In the Little Parler    # Two Joyne beadsteeds w[i]th mats and cords
1 troucke bead stead w[i]th mat and cord    1            5        0
68        # 4 feather beads and one downe and feather
boulsters and 1 Downe boulster 2 blancots
3 coverlides and feather pillows 5 courtines
w[i]th roads    14         10       0
69        # one windoe courtin a ir[on] rode    0            2        0
70        # one feather bead 1 bolster 2 blancots 1 coverlide
one paire of courtines and vallines worked
1 orringe Carpitt w[i]th brousheinge 2 Cobert coushinges    5      0      0
71        # one orridge coverlide    2            0        0
72        # one paire of greene courtines worked    1           0         0
73    [Total 127         1           61 [Total page 2] 40         1         6
    [Page 4]
74        # one troukell beadsteed one floucke bead one
feather boulster one blancott one coverlide    1         0          0
75        # one chaifeing dishe 1 chaire two tobes
one iron racke 2 heateinge vates one wine
sheet 2 sive dogges one trivitt one barre    2          0          0
76        # one stand one corne line one whilbarrow
one hand barrowe hoopes ten    0          10        0
77        # one butt[e]r cheirne 2 milke pannes and 3 chisvats    0  6  6
78        # 300 faggotts and a sartane stacke of ledgwoode  1  0    0
79        # 11 small trees    1           0         0
80        # hogges 9 and 3 shuts    5          10        0
81        # Ludders 3 kyo stocke 2 pronges 2    0          6          0
82        # wheate 28 busheles
                # barley 24 busheles
                # hay 30 lod
                # Strawe 1 loade    7          15        0
83        # 2 Cowe raucke one wall bocett chaire and tumbler  0    7   7
84        # one horse w[i]th harnis fitting to worke    01     0     0
85        # 24 sheepe    6           0         0
86        # kine 5    12         0         0
87        # younge heafer    4          0          0
88        # half a 100 of bares    0          5          0
89        # one charrett    0          5          0
90        # one paire of billose    0          0          6
91        # 4 b[ushell] of pease    0         10         0
92        # harrows ________    0          5          0
93    In the halle    # one longe table bord one round table board
6 Joyne Stooles one courtin and courtin rod    1          0          0
94        In the buttry 2 Coberts    0         5          0
95        In the sculler 2 Sifters and 3 Stands    0        10         0
96              In the best chamber one Standing beadsteed
w[i]th a teaster over, w[i]th matt cord and cortine
roads one trouckell beadstead 2 winder
courtines and courtin roads one side cobert
one little table w[i]th cupbert under one
great shealt in the chamber over
the kitchinge one Standinge beadsteed w[i]th
a matt and cords and teaster over, in the maids
chamb[e]r 2 standing bead steeds one Chest of
armor one malte querne    4         10         0
97    [Total page 4]        50       5          0
98 [Total all pages]            127       1         6
    [Page 3]
99        # 1 paire of shire courtines ande vallines    1      0      0
100        # 1 p[aire] of vallines    0           5         0
101        # my cosen William Blake cloathes of all sorts    4      0      0
102    L[i]nnon    # one diep Cobert Cloath 1 locram cobert
cloath 1 Lennen Table Cloath w[i]th 12 napkines    1          10        0
103        # one fine paire of hollon Sheets one paire
more of hollon sheets one dozen of drop
napkins one drop table cloath w[i]th 12 nap-
kines one fine longe towel 3 paire of fine
hollon sheets 7 paire of canvas sheets    5          0          0
104        two paire of ordinary pillowbees 12 ordinary
napkins 3 canvis table cloathes    0         14        0
105        # one paire of gold seales    0          3          0
106        # 3 great cheasts 3 greate coffers
4 troncks and one deaske    1         0           0
107        # 47 peaces of Pauter of all Sorts    2          0          0
108        # 4 pawter chamber pots 2 flaggones 2 pawt[er]
candlesticks and one band pott of pawt[er]    1          0          0
109        # 13 brasse panes 5 brasse kittles 1 little furniss
5 brasse pots 1 posnett and 2 skillets    8          0          0
110        # 1 limbitt w[i]th a great brasse pott    1         0           0
111        # 4 great Spitts 1 little Spitt 2 greate
driping pannes 1 lattin driging panne    1         0           0
112        # one cleaver one minsinge knife 1 beife
pricers 1 basting ladle 1 skimmer two pott
heuckes 3 cottrelles one feander 2 paire of Anyornes    1          0          0
113        # 3 croft bees 2 gaisslles one gome    1         5         0
114        # one fire pane and tonges and toasting ir[on]    0     5      0
115    In the greate Parler    # one table bord 2 Chaires 7 Joynt Stooles
one sid cobert    01       10        0
116        # one bible and one book of common prayer    0      5     0
117        # one courtine road w[i]th courtine and one seuttle    0  8    0
118    Intre    # 5 stalles of bees    1          5          0
119    Buttry    # one safe frieing panne and slicr 2 gridders    0     10      0
120        # one warmeing panne and one morter and pestell    0     10      0
121        # 2 poudring tobes one ringer and searche one
lantorne one peacke one boushell 4 trayes    0          15        0
122        # 2 pasti peiles 1 paire of reaters
2 paire of scales w[i]th waites one cheese racke
7 sheleves one fire forke 4 tobes 1 still
3 louckes 2 seives and one rudder and forme and 20 trenchers    1     10     0
123    [Total page 2]        30         15       0

124    Item    debts owed to the sayd deceased upon specialtyse otherwise    1049     10       0

[Appraisers]
Thomas Blake Jn
John Tomkins
       ttt
    his marke   

Blake family of Upper Clatford/Andover/Penton Mewsey

With the testing now complete at BritainsDNA, I can now begin to forge ahead with my own Blake line as I work away at the Blake wills at PCC and County Record Offices. My own line has sat on the sidelines for a bit as I have no matches for the yDNA signature on the major databases (only on the Blood of the Isles database). Since I know that my line in Canada yDNA signature wise is only my brothers, I knew that finding more about that line had to come out of studies being done in the British Isles. I needed to have a comparison of my line with the databases that had been established in the Peoples of the British Isles study in particular.

My own line looked ancient to the British Isles as observed by several knowledgeable genetic genealogists who were looking carefully at the I haplogroup. But having this verified by BritainsDNA and labelling my line as pre-historic Britain is very helpful to learning more about my line.

In particular at what point in the past did the acquire the surname Blake? I know they carried it from the late 1400s on as a direct family line but at what point had they done so was a question in my mind. The why of doing so is probably going to be straightforward. My suspicion is that they married into the Blake family and simply took on their surname for whatever reason. At Andover they were referred to as Mr. [forename] Blake in the earliest registers although this disappeared in the latter part of the 1600s. The wills indicate that they did own some freehold property (Andover, Eastontown, Knights Enham and Penton Mewsey) and tended to be on the land initially but my ancestor became a draper in Andover (perhaps because he was the youngest son of five).

I now want to continue working on the Parish Registers for Abbots Ann and did finish a couple more pages yesterday but still only in the mid 1600s. My need to look at this parish in the early years is because the Blake family was there in the 1700s on and I want to determine if they had been there prior to that time.

Out of all this work on the Hampshire Parish Registers in this area I hope to discover the distinct Blake lines that lived in the area.

Blake - Blague - Blaake family at Calne

Barrie Blake brought to my attention a rather interesting arms on the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. Not being into Coats of Arms I haven't really paid a lot of attention to this particular aspect of genealogical research but obviously it should not be overlooked as it can help to place families particularly when they have moved away from their originating county. This arms is only used by William Blake the fourth son attributed to Roger Blake and Mary Baynard on the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office.

His comments set me off on a search for a copy of the 1565 Visitation of Wiltshire. I had thought that I had downloaded it a while ago but I do now have a copy of this Visitation from Internet Archive (freely downloadable).

 http://archive.org/details/visitationofwilt00harvrich

The section of interest on the Blake family reads as follows:

Blake of Hilcott

Arms: Argent, a chevron between three garbs Sable, a crescent for difference.

Robert Blaake of cumberford, co. Wilts, Esq., mar. Avys, da. of ..... Wallop of co. Hampsh., and by her had issue, - Gilbert and Alexander, died both sans issue; Robert; and John; Elizabeth; Alys; and Jone

Robert Blaake of Cawne in the said co., third son and heir of Robert, mar. Margerett, da. of Sir Thomas Englefeild of Englefeild, co. Berks, and by her had issue, - Roger, son and heir; Ann, mar. to Robert Baynard of Lackham, co. Wilts, Esq.

Roger Blaake of Cawne, son and heir of Robert, mar. Mary, da. of Philip Baynard of Lackham, and by her had issue, - Thomas, son and heir; Robert, second son; John, third son; Sibell, mar. to Henry Bull of Co. wilts; Jone, mar. to Anthony Goddard of Hartham, Co. Wilts, Gentl; Mary, mar. to Edward Langrige of Langrige, co. Southampton, Gent.

Thomas Blaake of Pynnell, co. Wilts, son and heir of Roger, mar. Edyth, da. of thomas Ivy of West Keinton, c. aforesaid, Esq., and by her hath issue, - Roger, son and heir; Michell; Gyles; Francis; and others

Robert Blaake of the Boroughe of Cawne, second son of Roger and brother of Thomas, mar. Alis, da. of Robert Smyth of Lacocke, co. aforesaid, and had issue, Roger, son and heir; Anthony, second son; Jone and Marye

John Blaake of Hilcott, co. Wilts, third son to Roger and brother to Thomas and Robert, mar. Jone, da. of .... Clarke of Shawe, Co. aforesaid, and by her as yet hath no issue.

This information I had from wills and having read this Visitation earlier.

I then found a copy of a rather interesting journal known as the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine and I was looking at Volume 9 which was published in 1866 and also available from Internet.Archive.org

 http://archive.org/details/wiltshirearchaeo09arch

There is an article in this particular magazine which discusses descent and arms of families and was produced from the notes of the Richmond Herald at the College of Arms about 1693 although he was not appointed Richmond Herald until 1721. The article Wiltshire Arms and Descents was written by Mr. Clarence Hopper and the author of the notes was Robert Dale ( he was perhaps an heraldic painter prior to his appointment is suggested ). The comment is made that the information was principally from the Visitations of 1620 time period.

His notes on the Blague/Blake/Blaake family

Dorsetshire, 27. Blague, alias Blaake, now Blake of Quemberford [Quemerford], Calne and Pynhills - 1st, arg. a chevron between 3 garbs, sab. (this is the usual arms associated with the Blake family). 2nd, arg. on a pile, az. 3 martlets, sil. both by this name. Crest on a chapeau, gu. turned up erm. a martlet, arg. Kent 83.

Blague of Lacock, a second branch from Quemberford. Kent 83

Blague of Hilcot, a third house from Calne. Kent 83

This fits in with the Visitation of 1565 which states that Roger Blake and Mary Baynard had three sons - Thomas at Pynnell, Robert at Lacock and John at Hilcott which matches the information found in the Wiltshire Arms and Descents article mentioned above.

The Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office includes a fourth son William married to Avice Ripley and living at Eastontown near Andover Hampshire. It lists this William as dying in 1582 and there is indeed a William Blake who died in 1582 at Eastontown near Andover but he was the son of Nicholas and Margaret Blake of Knights Enham. It has been an ongoing puzzle for me the last six years as to how many William Blake families were there at Eastontown (and how many dying in 1582). The Chart has the son of this William Blake named John (eldest son) marrying Margaret Blake (daughter of William Blake of Eastontown). I have yet to solve this mystery although I am tending towards the thought that there were two William Blake families at Eastontown (there were at least three farms there).

I continue to accumulate information to help me in the pursuit of the origins of this Blake family and indeed are they related to the Richard le Blak a merchant from Rouen mentioned in the Calender of Patent Rolls in 1274? Further to that the Pedigree Chart mentions as the furtherest back member of the family the deeding of land in Essex by Richard Blake to the Knights Templar. A search of the National Archives yielded a copy of this particular document but it was actually a Roger le Blake of Herefordshire who was involved in this land transfer. Is Roger related to Richard?

The Visitation of Wiltshire 1623 does not list William as a son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard but indeed it only actually lists his eldest son Thomas Blake of Pennells who married Edith Ivie. Again this Visitation is freely downloadable from Internet Archive.


 http://archive.org/details/visitationofwilt00sainrich

The will of Roger Blake isn't any more helpful as it too listed his eldest son Thomas and his youngest daughter Mary only (can be purchased from the National Archives (UK) website) and I have blogged my transcription of his will. Although I attribute William as a son of Roger I am doing so only on the basis of the Pedigree Chart. I am still puzzled by the William Blake families at Eastontown near Andover in the mid 1500s. Were there two or more? That is a real mystery not yet solved.

 http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/01/will-of-roger-blake-esquire-of-calne.html

The origin of this crest is a mystery? I am curious if it is a French coat of arms that the originating le Blake/le Blak family used in France and decided to change to the arg. a chevron between 3 garbs, sab. which is the usual arms associated with the Blake family at Calne and Andover.

A little more searching has brought up another interesting publication of the Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms and on page 1023 I found the following:

Arg.  a pile issuing out of the chief az. charged with three martlets, or.                Blage

Slightly different from above but the surname attached to it is rather interesting - Blage.

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL7130641M/An_alphabetical_dictionary_of_coats_of_arms_belonging_to_families_in_Great_Britain_and_Ireland

Will of Nicholas Blake - National Archives, PROB 11/31/549, probated 20 Jun 1547

The will of Nic[h]olas Blake was written 31 May 1547 and probated 20 Jun 1547. I had forgotten that Nicholas mentions Robert Boswell and again this links with the will of William Blake of Speen in 1552 as Robert Boswell is his father in law whom he makes executor of his will. Now is this the same Robert Boswell? Always that question comes first to mind. He would appear to be the tenant of Nicholas and as I read through William's will I am seeing now that William Blake does hold the lease of the tenements that William Blake of Speen occupies but it appears that William also tills that piece of land. A mite confusing as you look at it and again the will of William Blake at Speen in 1552:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/will-of-william-blake-yeoman-of-speen.html

I still wonder if they are related but is this perhaps the answer to the mystery? No, the children of William Blake of Speen do not match the children on the Blake Pedigree Chart. William Blake at Speen's siblings however are Richard and John with no mention of a sister in his will (on the chart the children of William Blake married to Avis Ripley are John, William and Peter with a sister Agnes married to Roger Hyde). So this is not that family either. The children of William Blake of Speen are Anthony and others unnamed (perhaps only one other) and his wife was Ellyne. The date of William Blake of Speen's will is 1552 not 1582 as in the Pedigree Chart.

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

Working backwards from Peter Blake's will to William Blake's will to Nicholas Blake's will and then tomorrow to Jone Blake's will is an interesting trip through time. I am beginning to wonder about Peter Blake's will and whether I am dealing with these two William Blake lines with his will and then the other three (Jone-Nicholas-William) that fit together. On the other hand Peter Blake in his will does not mention any of the properties that the Jone Blake-Nicholas Blake-William Blake family hold. What he does mention is his kinsmen William Hinxman of Hatherden, Mr. Nicholas Blake of Gavelacre and Mr. Richard Blake his brother and their sister Mrs. Jone Blake. I need to think about these three people and exactly who they are and how they fit into the Blake family at Andover. It could be the clue that I have been struggling to find to solve the mystery of the two William Blakes at Eastontown (or one married twice).

One thing I do know and that is the William Blake who dies in 1642 leaving his will (married to Dorothy Madgwick) is in financial trouble and this trouble becomes even more evident in Dorothy's will. Then we see their now eldest son William (his brother Richard died in 1648) selling off property in particular to Mr. Nicholas Blake of Gavelacre. No relationship is stated in that particular indenture although we know that that William Blake is the grandson of Richard Blake the lynen draper as the indenture states that. Tying that family together from Richard Blake to William Blake to William Blake has been fairly straightforward. The question is, to my mind, is Charlou Dolan right in saying that Richard is the son of William Blake and Anne Tutt? This would then bring them into the Pedigree Chart and definitely William Blake is the son of Nicholas not Roger Blake and Mary Baynard. The marriage between William Blake (Charlou has this William as a son of the son of William Blake) and Anne Tutt is on the Pedigree Chart and does perhaps help to define these two families as being separate William Blake lines at Eastontown. The timing is simply not right for Richard Blake lynen draper who died in 1622 to be a son of William Blake and Anne Tutt as their grandfather on the chart (Roger Blake married Mary Baynard). Plus the will of the son of William (of Eastontown) does list the properties from his father's will that he inherited and he married Margaret Hibberd). It was the son of this William that was to have married Anne Tutt! It is perhaps time to revisit some of these Wiltshire wills that I have not yet transcribed but probably that is going to wait for the alphabetical walk through the wills and I am only at Hampshire.

The will of Jone Blake tomorrow will complete the cycle back and I will move on to the next will in line which is for the Blake family at Christchurch.

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

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

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

Will of Thomas Blake of Finkley, National Archives PROB 11/364 Image Reference 173/168, probated 26 Nov 1680

Thomas Blake left his will in 1680 with only the notation that he was of Finkley. I found only two Finkley references in England. The one is Finkley Street in Tankersley (South Riding Yorkshire (was West Riding Yorkshire)) and the other is located in Andover Registration District along the Roman Road. There is Finkley Manor Farm and Finkley Ho about five miles east of Andover (and Finkley Forest).

From the British History Online: A  History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 4 -

Smannell is situated 2½ miles north-east of the town, it contains the hamlets of Woodhouse, East Anton, Little London and Finkley. Finkley House is the seat of the Rev. Robert Finch. The northeastern part of the parish is well wooded, including the southern portion of Doles Wood, which was parcel of Finkley Park or Finkley Forest. A survey of this park, taken by order of the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1652, exists at the Public Record Office.  At that date it contained 841 a. 1 r. 17 p., together with a lodge standing therein. There were 7,149 timber trees and saplings growing in it, and there were also various copses in the park, usually fenced in, and containing 620a. 2r. The 150 deer in the park were valued at £100 and the rabbits at £50. 'The wood and woody ground called the Ridges,'  which was parcel of Finkley Forest, contained 5,120 trees, and the underwoods there were worth £40. Richard Cromwell was then the chief ranger, and William Cooke the keeper. The inhabitants of King's Enham, Knight's Enham and East Anton had certain rights of common of pasture in Finkley Park, and 20s. yearly and 9s. yearly were paid to the ranger and the keeper respectively towards the making of fences by the tenants of King's Enham farm, under Magdalen College, Oxford, who from time immemorial had had common of pasture there for seventy cows and one bull from Mayday to Michaelmas. Four years after his accession Charles II granted Finkley Park to George Duke of Albemarle and his heirs for ever.

In 1680 Charles II is King of England (Date of Restoration 29 May 1660) so Finkley Park belonged to George Duke of Albemarle likely and perhaps the common of pasture was still observed.

The will does make it sound as if Thomas is indebted and Peter his second son is to clear his debts. He mentions three sons Richard, Peter and Charles and three daughters.  It is possible that this is the Peter Blake who married Ann Godfrey 26 Jun 1677 at Penton Mewsey with banns read at Hurstbourne Tarrant (Ann Godfrey was born at Hurstborne Tarrant). Still working on this particular line but Peter and Ann had two children Peter and Ann with Peter marrying Joan (unknown) and their children were Ann, Mary, Peter, Jacob and John. Jacob married Mary Mosdown 20 May 1744 at Penton Mewsey. The other Peter Blake (said to be born at Upper Clatford) married Ann Noyes 26 Jun 1677 at Penton Mewsey (interestingly the same day) and their children were Katheren, Mary and Peter. This family lived at Upper Clatford and their children were baptized at Upper Clatford. Penton Mewsey was another Blake family home area in the 1600s and my line was there. Sorting the Peter Blake lines out is a challenge and this is a forename that goes back to the mid 1500s in the Blake family at Andover.

There is a Charles Blake baptized at Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire 12 Apr 1653 son of Thomas Blake. Charles is not a common Blake forename in this area in this time period. There is a Richard Blake baptized 24 Mar 1650 at Hurstbourne Tarrant. Hurstbourne Tarrant is to the north of Finkley and further away than Andover. However it is interesting to find a Charles and a Richard who would have been 27 and 30 years of age in 1680 when Thomas is writing his will.

A parochial history of St Mary Bourne has a chapter on the Forest of Chute and Finkley. Finkley Forest is bordered along the south by Eastanton which belongs to Mr. W. Blake. This is likely Eastontown where the family of William Blake has lived since the mid 1500s. The William Blake there in 1652 would be the great grandson of William Blake who left his will in 1582 naming himself as William Blake of Eastontown. His son William inherited this property and willed it to his eldest son William in 1607. This William left the property to his son William.

The Blake family at Hurstborne Tarrant is known to me and descendant of Robert Blake brother to Nicholas Blake. Robert's son John Blake the Elder died before 8 Apr 1572 at Knights Enham and he mentions his son John Blake, then a minor, who died before 25 Feb 1605 at Upton, Hurstborne Tarrant. The children of this John Blake, yeoman, Upton, Hurstborne Tarrant and his wife (unknown) had four children Agnes, Christian, Elizabeth and John who was single in 1605 but not listed as underage.

There was a Thomas Blake baptized 30 Sep 1621 at Hurstbourne Tarrant and the son of John Blake. By 1680 this Thomas would have been 59 years of age and could be the Thomas Blake in this will. Why he lists himself at Finkley is a mystery if indeed the children baptized at Hurstbourne Tarrant (Charles and Richard) were indeed the children of the Thomas Blake at Finkley listed in his will.

In the 1841 census of Hurstbourne Tarrant there were nine Blake members listed including John, Edward and Richard. In the 1851 census of Hurstbourne Tarrant there were eight Blake members listed including John Charles, Edward Walter, Richard, Charles Henry, and James. This is one family with John Charles Blake as the head married to Charlotte (John Charles Blake married Charlotte Eyeles in 1831 at Hurstbourne Tarrant according to the LDS website). John Charles Blake was born in 1810 at Hurstbourne Tarrant. In 1861 there were 16 Blake members at Hurstbourne Tarrant but not all were born at Hurstbourne Tarrant. John Charles and Charlotte Blake are still there and there is a new family Thomas Blake married to Susanna Pibworth 3 Jul 1830 Hurstborne Tarrant (she was born at Hurstbourne Tarrant) and this Thomas is a brother to my 2x great grandfather John Blake (both were born/baptized at Upper Clatford).I am ever mindful though that proximity is not a sufficient proof for family relationships. The Blake family that was at Upper Clatford in the 1600s was not directly related to the Blake family (mine) that was at Upper Clatford from the mid 1700s on. Their common ancestor, William Blake of Eastontown, was six generations earlier in the mid 1700s Upper Clatford Blake family. No descendants of the Peter Blake family of Upper Clatford in the 1600s lived at Upper Clatford in the mid 1700s.

Checking the LDS website John Charles Blake (1851 census) was born 8 Oct 1809 and baptized 22 Oct 1809 at Hurstbourne Tarrant and he was the son of Richard and Mary Blake.  There isn't a marriage on the LDS website at Hurstbourne Tarrant for a Richard Blake in the appropriate time frame Although there was a Richard on the 1841 census.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 May 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/364 Image Reference 173/168
Place: Finkley, Hampshire, England
Testator: Thomas Blake, Finkley
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 4 Oct 1680, probated 26 Nov 1680
Read: Electronic copy
Condition: image, small script, light text

[In margin] Thomas Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen I
2    Thomas Blake of Finkley being infirm and weak in bodye but of sound and p[er]fect
3    mind and memory doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner
4    and forme following That is to say Imprimis I commend my Soule unto the hands of
5    God Almighty hopeing through the merritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ to receive full
6    pardon from all my Sinns and to Inheritt eternall life And my Body I committ to the Earth
7    to bee decently buried at the discre[t]ion of my Executor hereafter named and as to my temporall
8    estate I dispose of it as followeth / Item I give and bequeath to my Sonne Richard the
9    Summe of twelve pence / Item I make my sonne Peter Blake my Executor / Item I give
10    him all my Lands goods and Chattells to pay all his Engagements that he standeth bound
11    for mee and the overplus for him to devide amongst my Wife and three daughters and my
12    Sonne Charles the marke of Thomas Blake In witnes whereof / I have hereunto sett my
13    hand and Seale The Fourth day of October 1680 in the yeare of  Edward Noyle the mark of
14    Anne Pecke the marke of William Nowell