Will of Elizabeth Blake, wife of Long Parish, Hampshire - The National Archives PROB 11/307/513, probated 3 Apr 1662

Elizabeth Blake is married to Nicholas Blake of Long Parish and it is possible that her maiden name was Sadler.

This will was in litigation C 6/21/94 (document at The National Archives) and is Kent versus Thomas with the plaintiff Richard Kent and the defendants Nicholas Thomas and other. This is the answer only to that litigation and it is dated 1662.

A second litigation C 6/48/53 (document at The National Archives) and is Goddard versus Kent with plaintiffs Katherine Goddard, Jane Goddard and Elizabeth Goddard and defendants (unknown) Smithe, Richard Kent, Nicholas Thomas, Mary Thomas wife of Nicholas and again the will of the deceased Elizabeth Blake. The document type is the bill and two answers and is dated 1664.

A third litigation C 6/48/99 (document at The National Archives) and is Pembridge versus Thomas with plaintiffs Jane Pembridge, Elizabeth Pembridge and Mary Pembridge with defendants Nicholas Thomas, Mary Thomas his wife and Richard Kent. The document type is answer and schedule. The date is 1651-1681 but would be at least 1662 – 1681 so is probably part of a larger package with these dates.

In an earlier will Richard Blake of Tower Ward London mentioned his godson Richard Blake of Long Parish (1643) and was blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2011/02/richard-blake-will-of-23-mar-1643.html

Is this Nicholas Blake a son of Richard and Jone Blake of Andover. Richard died in 1622 and left his will in which he mentions property at Forton which he is giving to his son Nicholas. Forton is one of the townships in Longparish. This would mean that he is the Nicholas Blake baptized 27 Mar 1604 at Andover and buried at Andover 16 Mar 1677. I have not to date found a marriage for him but do not have the parish registers for Long Parish yet.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/08/will-of-richard-blake-linen-draper-of.html

The sister of Nicholas Blake, Elinor Hinxman, mentioned her brother in her will of 1657 and he was living at Gavelacre which is in the vill of Forton thus placing him again in this area close to the time of the will of 1662. I have not published the Hinxman wills so must do that one of these days “…..And I nominate, and appoint my brother Mr Nicholas Blake of Galliger and my cozen Mr Peter Blake of Andover Overseers of this my last Will and Testament desiring them to be ayding and assisting to my Executor in the performance hereof ….”

British History Online has a write up for Richard Blake’s holding of property at Gavelacre in Forton:

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=56843

Richard Blake, who died in 1623[sic 1622], held a messuage called 'Chamberlaynes hold,' and others there, of Cecily Lady De La Warr as of her manor of Wherwell (fn. 42) ; and premises in Forton are repeatedly mentioned in the later conveyances of Longparish Manor. There is a lot of information on Nicholas Blake of Gavelacre which will be mentioned as I have a few indentures that refer to him. To date though, I have not yet found a will for him. There are a number of documents in which he is involved as trustee and grantee but no will thus far. The will could be attached to property that preceded directly to his right heir so no probate but there should be an entry showing the passage of the property from him to his heir or if he sold it. I do not have any children for Nicholas. Learning more about Nicholas could be helpful for my personal research as it is his nephew William to whom he first mortgaged property at Andover and later for a particular sum of 5 shillings cleared the mortgage of 50+ pounds in 1649. This was at East Field and West Field. William himself died in 1696 also not leaving a will.

This is an excellent will to learn about the family of Elizabeth Blake as she names her siblings and the children of her siblings.

Names mentioned in the will:

Mr Nicholas Blake, husband of the testatrix, Long Parish
Anthony Pembridge, great nephew
Jane Pembridge, great niece
Mary Pembridge, great niece
Elizabeth Pembridge, great niece
Mary Pembridge, niece
Edward Kent, great nephew
Richard Kent, great nephew
John Kent, great nephew
Joane Kent, great niece
Elizabeth Kent, great niece
Richard Kent, nephew, executor
Michaell Goddard, great nephew
Katherine Goddard, great niece
Jane Goddard, great niece
Elizabeth Goddard, great niece
Katherine Goddard, niece
Charitie Thomas, goddaughter
Mr Nicholas Thomas, kinsman
Samuel Collins
William Sadler, brother
Robert Sadler, brother
Anthony Pembridge, cousin (is this the husband of her niece Mary?)
Robert Goddard, cousin (is this the husband of her niece Katherine?)
Richard Kent, cousin (same as executor, husband of unnamed niece?)
Richard Miller, cousin
Anne Sadler, cousin (child of her brother?)
Joane Sadler, cousin (child of her brother?)
William Sadler, cousin (child of her brother?)
Martha Hopkins
John Hayes, clerk, witness
Elizabeth Gale, witness

Interesting that she has chosen the Church at Nether Wallop in which to be buried. An interesting set of wills for the Gore family of Nether Wallop which mentions “my brother in law Mr Robert Sadler” and was written 22 Jan 1655 and proved 29 Mar 1656.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/gore/messages/1757.html

There is apparently a pedigree for the Sadler family on page 163 in the Visitation of Wiltshire 1623. The children of Robert Sadler of Salthorp (sic Salthrop), Wiltshire married to Grace the daughter of Henry Sadler son of Radulphi Sadler, knight, are listed as Robert Sadler son and heir aged 15 years in 1623, Henry aged 13 years in 1623, William aged 12 years in 1623, Elizabeth aged 11 years in 1623 and Anna aged 10 years in 1623. If indeed this is Elizabeth’s family, then Elizabeth would have been born circa 1612 and 50 years of age when her will was written. She does not mention her sister Anna or brother Henry but does mention her brothers Robert and William. Salthorp is near Everleigh/Everley Wiltshire which is 5 miles north west of Ludgershall and the road from Andover passes through Everleigh. Queen Elizabeth gave the manor to Sir Ralph Sadler. Ralph is the grandfather of Grace who was the likely mother of Elizabeth wife of Nicholas Blake. Nether Wallop is thirteen miles from Everleigh and ten miles from Longparish.

My daughter has speeded up the publication of this blog as she helped me to find Salthrop.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6 Jan 2014
Source: The National Archives PROB/11/307/513
Testator: Elizabeth Blake
Place: Long Parish, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 10 Jan 1661, probated 3 Apr 1662
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]^m[ent]: Elizabethie
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen The tenth day of
2    January in the yeare of our Lord god one Thousand six hundred sixtie one
3    I Elizabeth Blake wife of Nicholas Blake of Long parish in the County of South[amp]ton
4    gentleman being weake in body but of perfect memory doe make this my last
5    will and testament in manner and forme as followeth Imprimis I bequeath
6    my soule to god and my body to be buried in the parish Church of Nether Wallop in
7    the County aforesaid Item I give unto Anthony Pembridge Jane Pembridge and
8    Mary Pembridge Elizabeth Pembridge child of my neece Mary Pembridge
9    twenty pounds apiece Item I give unto Edward Kent Richard Kent John Kent
10    Joane Kent Elizabeth Kent children of my nephew Richard Kent twenty pounds
11    a peece Item I give unto Michaell Goddard Katherine Goddard Jane Goddard
12    Elizabeth Goddard children of my Neece Katherine Goddard twenty pounds
13    a peece Item I give unto my goddaughter Charitie Thomas the daughter of
14    my kinsman Nicholas Thomas five pounds and my will is that the above
15    named Sommes may be paid unto the above named children at the age of
16    one and twenty yeares or at their day of marriage if the above said Sommes
17    shall by that tyme be raysed by Mr Nicholas Blake and by him paid unto my
18    Executor And my will further is That if any of the fower children of the above
19    named Mary Pembridge shall happen to dye before the tymes above mentioned
20    That then the respective legacies of the children soe dying may be equally de-
21    vided betwixt the surviving and soe likeness for the five Children of my Nephew
22    Richard Kent And the fower children of my neece Katherine Goddard And
23    my will further is that the daughters of the above named Mary Pembridge
24    Richard Kent and Katherine Goddard may have my lynnen brasse pewter and
25    bedding equally devided amongst them excepting one bed which is at Samuell Col-
26    lins his house And one bolster and yellow Coverlett one paire of sheets and
27    one paire of blanceates which are in the house of Mr Nicholas Thomas which
28    my will is to give to Martha Hopkins with five pounds in money And my will
29    further is that the five pounds be paid unto the above named Martha Hopkins
30    as soone as it shalbe received by my executor from Mr Nicholas Blake if shee
31    be then living Item I give unto the Church of Nether Wallop twenty shillings
32    And to the poore of the same parrish twenty shillings more Item I give unto the poore
33    of Long parrish twentie shillings Item I give unto my brother William and Sister
34    Sadler To my brother Robert and Sister Sadler the Lady Pawlett my husband
35    Mr Nicholas Blake my cousin Anthony Pembridge and his wife my Cousin Robert
36    Goddard and his wife my Cousin Richard Kent and his wife Mr Nicholas Thomas
37    and his wife twenty shillings a peece to buy each of them a ring Item I give
38    unto my Cousin Richard Miller and his wife my Cousin Anne Sadler my Cousin
39    Joane Sadler ten shillings a peece Item I give unto my Cousin William Sadler
40    twenty shillings And all the rest of my money and goods I give unto my Ne-
41    phew Richard Kent whome I make sole executor of this my last will and testam[en]t
43    In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seale the day and yeare
44    above written the marke of Elizabeth Blake Signed and Sealed in the presence
45    of John Hayes Clerke The marke of Elizabeth Gale

Will of George Blake, Gentleman, Plymstock - The National Archives PROB 11/244/607, probated 16 Aug 1655

Will of George Blake and this is the third of 25 Devon wills that I will be transcribing over the next month or so. I know of three Blake lines in Devon; I do not know if they are related although it is possible that one is descendant of the Somerset Blake family and one of the Hampshire Blake family. Were they related? That is one of the many reasons for the yDNA study of the Blake family and as it slowly grows we are on a voyage of discovery trying to learn more about the deep ancestry of this very interesting British Isles family. 

As mentioned in the will of Ferdinando Blake, George is the first cousin once removed of the testator Ferdinand Blake whose will was probated last:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/06/will-of-ferdinando-blake-elder.html

From the Visitation of Devon 1620 and signed by John Blake the father of this George the testator, John Blake father of George married Dorithie Wood and they had four sons and three daughters namely: John (bc 1608), George, Nicholas and Edward and Suzan, Elizabeth and Jane. George is born before 1620 and probably closer to 1608 so is probably in his 40s when he died. George’s father and Ferdinand were half brothers in that Ferdinand was the son of John Blake and Mary Fortescue and John was the son of John Blake and Elizabeth Slannig (John was actually married a third time to Grace Cock). John the father of John (eldest) and Ferdinand 2nd son was himself the son of John Blake and Stivolla Weeke and in turn this John was the son of John Blake also of Comb and Elizabeth Lugar. Using a somewhat arbitrary scale of 25 years to a generation and knowing that George’s brother was 12 at the taking of the Visitation then his father John was born circa 1583, his father John was born circa 1558 and his father John would be born circa 1533. Investigating the Parish Registers for Combe may be a good next step to look at this particular Blake family. They married primarily into Devon families.

Always nice to link families together and indeed as mentioned in the will of Ferdinand his son Ferdinand sold the property at Combe in 1663/64. The Blake family in Devon can be found at Combe and at North Molton but also in the Plymouth area as likely founding families (although they could have migrated to Devon from elsewhere).

The marriage of William Coram and Jana Blake was celebrated 28 Oct 1639 at Buckland Monachorum, Devon. There was a William Coram son of William baptized 7 Mar 1644 at Ottery St Mary. This Jana Blake is a sister to George the testator and is presumably Jane.



There are references at the beginning and the end of the will in the margin possibly referring to land dealings with respect to Combe in 1666 noting that the eventual inheritor of the land was to be the son of Ferdinand - Ferdinand and that in 1663/64 Ferdinand and his wife Ruth sold the property. There were apparently court cases involving this particular piece of property for a number of years following the sale of the property to the Fortescue family (noting that the grandmother of the seller (mother of Ferdinand the testator in the will published earlier) was Mary Fortescue.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Jun 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/244/607
Testator: George Blake, Gentleman
Place: Plymstock, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 20 May 1654, probated 16 Aug 1655
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[estament] Georij
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: ______________________ 1666

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I George Blake of Combe within the parishe of
3    of Plymstock in the Countie of Devon gent beinge sicke of
4    bodie but perfect of minde and sound of memorie Thanks
5    be unto God and knowinge it is appointed that all men
6    might dye and nothinge more certaine then death but
7    The tyme when where and howe most uncertaine
8    therefore whiles God hath given me time and life I
9    doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testamewnt
10    in manner and forme following First I commend my
11    Sowle into the hands of the Everliving God my Creator And my
12    Bodie to the Earth the mother of all mankind Trusting assuredly
13    that through the merits and bloudy passion of Jesus Christ
14    myne onely Saviour and Redeemer both Sowle and bodye shall
15    at the general day of resurrection be againe reunited and enioy
16    everlasting blessedness in his heavenly kingdome for evermore
17    And touching my reall and personal estate which God in his
18    great mercie hath blessed me withal I doe thereof dispose and
19    bequeath the same as followeth First I give unto the poore
20    people of Plymstocke aforesaid Twenty shillings to be distributed
21    amongst them by myne Executrix hereafter named in suich
22    manner as she shall thincke fit And whereas my beloved wife
23    Johan Blake
    [Page 2]
24    Johan Blake is to have an enioye one annuitye or yearelie rent
25    charge of Fiftie poundes to be issuing and payeable unto her
26    after my death dureing her life out of all that my Capitall messuage
27    Barton Farme lands and Tenements commonly called or knowne by the
28    name of Combe otherwise Combe Pryors and Lower Combe situate
29    lyinge within the said parishe of Plymstock and nowe in the tenure
30    possession or occupant[i]on of me the said George Blake mine Under-
31    tenants or assignes I doe nowe in recompence of her love and
32    faithfulness towards me and for her better preferment and livelihood
33    give devise and bequeath unto the said Johane my loveinge wife
34    All the said Capitall messuage Barton Farme Tenements
35    and all houses edifices buildinges courtledges gardens
36    orchards lands meadowes leasows pasture woods underwoodes
37    wasts ways pathes waters watercourses easements priviledges
38    profits commodityes and hereditaments with thappurtenancs to
39    the said Capitall messuage Barton and farme or to any or
40    either of them incident belonging or in any wise apperteyninge
41    To have and to hould the same unto my said loveinge wife
42    ymmediately from and after my death for and dureing the tearms
43    of her life Provided it shalbe lawfull for the said Johane to get
44    the same premises or any yt thereof to any person or persons for the terme of twentie years lease
45    or under at her pleasure And after her death my Will and meaning
46    is and I doe hereby give and devise all the said Capitall messuage
47    Barton and Farme of Combe otherwise called Combe Pryors
48    and Lower Combe and all other thaforesaid premises and every
49    part and parcel thereof with thappurtenancs to my nephew
50    William Corham sonne of my sister Joane late the wife of
51    William Corham deceased To have and to hould the same
52    unto my said nephew William Corham his Executors
53    administrators and Assignes ymediatelie from and after the death
54    of the said Johane my wife for and duringe the tenure of
55    fower score and nyneteene yeares then next ensueinge fullie
56    to be complete and ended if the said William Corham my
57    nephew and such women as shalbe his wife at the time of his
58    death and his eldest child w[hi]ch shalbe liveinge at the time of
59    his death or any or either of them soe longe shall happen to live
60    they yeildinge and paying then therefore yearelie unto such as
61    shalbe myne heires and assignes thereof the annuall rent of
62    fower poundes lawfull money of England at fower the most
63    usuall Feastes in the yeare (that is to saie) The feasts of the
64    Nativitie of St John the Baptist St Michaell Tharkangell
65    the birth of our Lord God and thann[un]cia[t]ion of the blessed Virgin
66    Mary by even and equall por[t]tions to be paid dureing the saide
67    terme The first payment thereof to commence and begin at such
68    of the said feasts as shall first happen next after the death of
69    the said Johane my wife and alsoe repayringe and mainteyninge
70    the said premises and every part thereof in all needful and
71    necessarie reparactions when and as often as neede shalbe And
72    towards the reparations thereof it shall and may be lawfull
73    to and for my said nephew his Executors and Assignes to have
74    and take sufficient and necessarie houseboote and great timber
75    plougheboote, fireboote, hayboote, hedgeboote Frith and stukey
76    of the Trees woodes and underwoodes in and upon the premises
77    growing or hereafter to be growing when and as often as
78    neede shalbe without delivery doeing noe voluntarie wast Alsoe
    [Page 3]
79    I give and bequeath unto my neece Joane Corham sister of the said
80    William Corham Fiftie poundes lawfull money of England To be
81    paid unto her out of the profits and issues of the said Brixton
82    Farme and lands of Combe by the said William Corham her
83    brother his Executors or Assignes within twoe yeares next after
84    the Comencement of the estate and terme to him hereby devised of
85    and in the said Capitall messuage Barton and Farme called Combe
86    otherwise Combe Pryors as above said And lastlie I give and devise
87    unto my Cosen Ferdinando Blake of Brixton sonne and heire of
88    Ferdinando Blake deceased this heritance and rever[s]ion of all the
89    Said Capitall messuage Barton and Farme called Combe otherwise
90    Combe Pryor and Lower Combe and all houses edifices buildings
91    courtledges gardens orchards lands Tenements meadowes leasues pastures woods
92    underwoods rents wasts commons ways pathes waters waterroutes
93    easements profits comodityes and hereditaments with thappurten[an]cs
94    to the said Capitall messuage Barton and Farme in any wise
95    incident belonginge to apperteyninge To have and to hould the
96    Same unto the said Ferdinando Blake his heires and Assignes
97    for ever Provided always and upon Condicion nevertheless That if
98    the said Ferdinando Blake his heires and Assignes or any of them
99    doe or shall at any time hereafter question or make any entrie
100    clayme title or demand whatsoever in or to any messuages lands or
101    tenements wherefor or wherein John Blake grandfather of me the
102    Said George nowe deceased had any estate at the time of his deathe
103    or Concerne or presente or consent to the comencinge or p[er]secutings
104    of any action or suite either in lawe or equitie of or touching the
105    Same messuages lands or Tenements or any part thereof That
106    then and from thenceforth this my gifte and devise of the said
107    Capitall messuage Barton and Farme called Combe otherwise
108    Combe Pryor and Lower Combe and of all other the premises thereunto
109    belonging unto the said Ferdinando Blake and his heires and
110    assignes by this my last Will and Testament shalbe voyd and
111    of nowe effect to allow any intention purpose And that then and
112    from thenceforth thinheritance and reversion in Force of the said
113    Capitall messuage Barton and Farme called Combe and of all other the said
114    landes and premises thereunto belonging shall remaine come and
115    be to my right heires for ever and that is shalbe lawfull for of them into
116    they owne to enter and do possesse and enioye the same to them and them having
117    forever allowing thestates hereby devised unto my said wife and
118    nephew William Corham dureing the continuances thereof All
119    the residue of my goodes and chattels not hereby formerly given
120    or bequeathed (my debtes beinge paid) I give and bequeath unto
121    the said Johane Blake my beloved wife whome I make and
122    ordaine my whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and
123    Testament desireing her to give and allowe unto her and my
124    kinswoman Pricilla Pearse meate drincke and lodging in house
125    with her untill she the said Pricilla bee marryed if my said wife
126    live soe longe And I doe nominate and desire my goode friends
127    Mr Thomas Riche Mr Thomas Gale James Mynge and John
128    Candishe to be myne Overseers of this  my last Will and to be
129    aydinge and assisting unto her in the performance thereof
130    In wittnes whereof I have putt my hand and seale hereunto
131    and have published the same to be my last Will and Testament
132    upon the twentieth day of May in the yeare of our Lord
133    according to the Computation of the Church of England one
    [Page 4]
134    thousand sixe hundred fiftie and fower in the presence of us after
135    counterlyinge above writing between the sixteenth seaventeenth
136    lynes Geo: Blake Tho Riche Thomas Prynn Silvester Prynn
137    This will was proved at London
138    before the Judges for probate of Wills and granting administra[t]ions
139    the sixteenth day of August in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand
140    sixe hundred fiftie five by the oathe of Joane Blake the Relict
141    and sole Executrix named in the last Will and Testament of the
142    said deceased To whome administra[t]ion was permitted She
143    beinge sworne by Commission truly and faithfullie to administer
144    10 July 1666 _______________________ Geo: Gaell

Gill-Gale Family at Bishops Nympton

Discovered a rather interesting item for a requester looking for information on their Gill family at Bishops Nympton. For reasons unknown to me the priest spelled the name of this family Gale starting with the marriage of one of the sons of William Gill in the late 1770s. He continued with the Gale spelling for this family line into the 1800s although siblings were spelled Gill. Solved a mystery for the requester who had been trying to locate her ancestors on the IGI for awhile. I double checked all of my entries just to see if I had made a transcription error but the priest had clearly written Gale.

A little more work completed on the Hinxman wills and I decided to put off ordering the Blake wills from the Hampshire Record Office until September. I really do not have time to work on them right now. The days are flying past.

We had a lovely walk with the dogs up to the video store to return "Knowing" which I had watched for a second time today. No bike ride today though - too humid still.

Tomorrow more work on the Hinxman will.