Gathering up the pieces from the 1500s

 The wills of the 1500s have been a real gift to looking at the Blake family of Enham. My next stop was to be the will of Thomas (son of Robert will dated December 1521). 

Testator: Thomas Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 15 Oct 1540, probated 15 Jun 1541
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: 1541U-06
1    Jn die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] Jn the yere off owr Lorde MDXLI the 15th
2    day off October J Thomas Blake sykke off bodye and hole off mynde
3    and memorye make my testament and last Wyll yn maner and foorme
4    foloynge first j bequeth my sowle unto almygthty god to owr Lady
5    saynt marye and to the hole c[o]mpanye off heven And my bodye
6    to be buryede yn the chyrchyard off Andev[e]r j bequethe and gyve
7    unto the hye altare off the sayd churche off andev[er] xij d Item
8    to alys munday j bequethe a cowe and vj yoongs j wyll also that
9    at my morytlie myade be bestoede upon the powr pepull a
10    quarter off whete Item j wyll th[a]t Joh[ann]is my soone have and holde
11    the howse at Enam callyd Rawkyns w[i]th all the aporte[nancs] and th[a]t he
12    also have and ynioy all the grownde and landys ther w[i]thyn the sayd
13    Enam the w[hi]ch j do holde off my lorde Sandy he yn as good a state
14    and ryghte as j have the same ferdermore j gyve unto rychard
15    Munday and Jhon[nes] Blake my soone x ps for to ov[er]see thys my testament
16    And also j make my soone Robert and my dowrther Margaret myn
17    executors off all my goods not bequeathed moveabyll and unmoveabyll
18    provydyde th[a]t my dettys due unto the sayd rycharde munday the
19    w[hi]ch ys 6 nobles iij s iiij d and unto John[nes] Blake my sonne the w[hi]ch ys
20    x ps be payd off my goods by my execytors The rest off
21    all my goods and catell j gyve holely unto my execytors
22    to se yt bestoed and dysposyd for the helthe off my sowle att
23    ther al byteremente and plesuere In wytnesse off all thys ys m[r]
24    Thomas Brotwynge Vycare off Andev[er] and Sy[r] Johan[nes] Patye mo[r]row masse
25    pryst ther the w[hi]ch were att the makyinge hereof present
26    P[ro]bat[um] approbat[um] et insinuat[um] fuit p[rese]ns testam[entum] apud
27    winton cora[m] Mag[is]tro Edmundo Stuarde doctere
28    Rev[er]end in xxo pris etc xv t[h] die Junij Anno d[omi]ni
29    1542 Comissaq[ue] fuit adm[in]strat[io] om[nium] et sing[u]lor bonor[um]
30    sup[ra]script[um] defuncti Margaret Blake un[a] execut[oribus]
31    in h[uis]mo[d]i test[amentum] no[m]i[n]at[orum] insat[  ] etc Res[er]uata p[otes]tat cons[er]ter
32    administer[ando] conf[e]rend Roberto Blake alteri execut[oribus] etc

Thomas (son of Robert (will dated Dec 1521) and brother to Richard) inherited Rawkyns in his father Robert's will (Dec 1521). In this will he passes it on to his son John. Robert, also his son and his daughter Margaret are named as executors of his will. I have tentatively played with the idea that Margaret is married to her second cousin Nicholas Blake. There isn't really anything to prove that other than finding small matches in the autosomal DNA that are very very distant and not necessarily in "common areas" which can and do often extend back a long way. Nicholas would be my 12x great grandfather and it is likely that Nicholas' grandson Richard also married his likely 3nd cousin Jone Blake also descendant of Robert Blake (his brother) thus reinforcing this Blake autosomal DNA. It is a daughter of Nicholas' grandson Richard who married Robert Sedgewicke and their children were born in the Royal Colony of Massachusetts and remained in the United States of America. It is a thought only and does not control my thoughts but it is interesting to find small matches so far back and not in a "common area" that points at the British Isles. He mentions Alys Munday without really saying anything further about her. Richard Munday and his son John Blake are named as overseers in the will. Richard Munday, when he is widowed is likely the individual who married Margaret Blake after Nicholas died. I need to transcribe Richard's will to see if he mentions Alys in the will (as his daughter but I suspect she is his wife at this time). But that is an abstraction from this will which does mention all the children of Thomas. 

I am left still with an unknown Robert Blake and notably Thomas' son Robert inherits all his goods not yet bequeathed both moveable and unmoveable and names him executor along with his sister Margaret. This often tends to be the eldest son. The Robert Blake that Robert Blake (will dated Dec 1521) mentions remains unknown and hence my suggestion that he was a third son of Robert who predeceased his father. To me it makes sense given the area of Enham is not huge by any means and one is left wondering that you would have so few Blakes really and not have them related. So I continue with that thought which I haven't actually had before until the other day that Robert Blake (will dated Dec 1521) had a third son Robert deceased prior to his father. That brings us to Jone Blake (widow) at Enham who leaves her will in 1527 as below:

Testator: Jone Blake, widow
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Mar 1527/1528
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: copied test[ament]

1    Jn die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] the yer of owre lord god oon thowsand five hundredth xxvij the xxiij day of the month of marche
2    J Jone Blake widow w[i]t[h] hoyll mynde and a good memorye maketh my laste wyll and testmente in thys man[ner] Fyrste J
3    commend my soll unto allmyghty god owre lady saynt marey to all the saynts in hevyn and my Body to be buryd in
4    the chyrche or the chyrche lyttyn of saynt mykell of enahm Jt[em] J gyffe and bequeth onto the mother chyrche of saynt swe
5    thyns xii d Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeth to the chyrche of enahm vj s viij d Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeath xxvj s viij d to be dystrybute
6    unto poor pepyll in pen[n]y doyll Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my curat Sy[r] Rychard Mersser xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequethe
7    to Sy[r] John Batte xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth to mayntenyg of the morrow masse prest in Andover xx d Jt[em] I gyff and bequeth
8    to mayntenyg of Jhs masse in the chyrche of Andover xx d Jt[em] J gyff  and bequeth unto the p[ri]or of the freer Augustines
9    in wynchest[er] xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth to Sy[r] Joh[a]n[nis] Whyte freer xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto ev[er]y of freer of the
10    seyd Augustynes th[a]t ys prest iiij d and to ev[er]y novesse ij d of the sayd place Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeth to the chyrche of Fosket
11    to mayntenyg of the light before saynt Jamys and saynt Aidan xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my dowghter Elsabet
12    mylne xx shepe beside thyos th[a]t she hathe allredy and oon Cowe th[a]t J bowght of hyr and xij s iij d of money and my gretst
13    pan and fowre plat[t]erst J gyff and bequeth unto my son Nycolas Blake the tabyll in the hall and oon clothe callyd the hallyg
14    and two yryne racks Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my son Robert Blake oon yryne broche and xviij shepe the wheche
15    shepe he hath in kepyng Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto Thome Jesra of Fosket oon yryne broche The resydew of
16    all my goods moveabyll and unmoveabyll J have not legate J gyff and bequeth unto my child[er]ne Nycolas Blake
17    Robert Blake and to Thome Jesra of Fosket and the sayd goods to be devydytt emongys them equaly ev[er]y oon of
18    them elyke mo[r]e[or]l[e]ss Jt[em] J make my sonys Nycolas Blake and Robert Blake my trell executors and Thomas Jesra of
19    Fosket my sup[er]visor th[a]t he see my last wyll and testament Jnplet[ed] and fulfyllyd and the foresaid executors to dypo
20    se for the heylth of my soll as thay shall see moyst expedient the witnesses Sy[r] Rychard Mersser Syr
21    Joh[a]n[nis] Batte Nycolas Blake Robert Blake w[i]t[h] others  

Jone Blake names her children Robert, Nicholas and Elsabet who is married to unknown Mylne. Compared to the other wills the property of this widow is large leaving one to wonder if her husband was an elder son. When people wrote wills particularly when they were probated locally everybody knew everybody else and did not always provide all the tiny details that help us to understand who everyone was. So I have taken a bit of poetic license as I postulate this new idea of mine having now decided that Richard was not the father of Robert, Nicholas and Elsabet. If correct Robert (son of Jone) has already received the property that would have belonged to the eldest son of Robert (will dated Dec 1521). Later wills show that this Robert (six sons are named in his will) and a goodly amount of property available to pass to them is mentioned which will be seen eventually as we reach that generation. This is Charlou Dolan's family line and her research, although I did not always agree on every line where my line was involved, was very well done. But there were so many repeated names and by the time I came along twenty years after she did her research more was available to look at. Unfortunately Jone does not name her husband but the eldest son is Robert which is interesting actually. 

So I feel as if the first and second generations are intact and leading into the third generation. I still do not know who William Blake and Andrew Blake were but the reference to Boswell is most interesting and relates to the Blake family at Speen Berkshire and my references to this line being descendant of Richard le Blak who received a Patent to set up a market in England. 

I will go with this for the moment as I move forward. What ends up being published under the Creative Commons License may be as I said curtailed somewhat with an extra chapter or I will begin with Robert (will dated Dec 1521) and further back if I can find more details on the John Blake listed in the 1300s at Andover. 

I think my brain is done for the day and will now continue by working on the photo books. Tomorrow I will actually put the generational chart together and then move for a bit to the Pincombe although I will continue with my Blake searches after I create my Research Plan going forward now. 

The sun is shining and I will likely wait until later in the day to work outside. 

On to the Photo Albums. 

Another beautiful day in God's world and we are blessed to have such a beautiful world from God the Creator. We must keep it up and that can only happen if the those who are in control of the greater share of the monetary value of the world donate to protect it. The world needs to be protected from human overuse but in Canada we are trying very hard to off set that human overuse of the environment. Our huge forests provide cabon capture along with the artificially created carbon capture techniques which also work well. The three great oceans that surround us also help to protect the environment but we must maintain them as well - money is always needed for these types of projects that protect the world God the Creator gave to us.  

BLAKE - Will of Jone BLAKE, widow, Enham - Consistory Court of Winchester, Register D, folio 118, will dated 23 Mar 1527

Continuing with the story of the BLAKE family at Knights Enham near Andover. Nicholas BLAKE's will was blogged last blog (along with the will of his widow Margaret (BLAKE) Munday). Moving back one more generation it was possible to locate the will of the mother of Nicholas. This will of Jone Blake, widow, of Enham in 1527 was most kindly written in English; my latin skills are weak at best and the treat of discovering that this will was indeed in English was marvelous. I believe her husband to be Richard BLAKE who left his will in 1522 and Jone was a widow in 1527. 

Who Jone was remains a mystery unless her surname was Jesra as she mentions a Thomas Jesra of Foskett (perhaps Foxcott).

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Feb 2014
Source: Family Search, Film # 186682, Catalogue A-377, page 163
Testator: Jone Blake, widow
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Mar 1527/1528

[Margin]: copied test[ament]

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] the yer of owre lord god oon thowsand fyve hundredth xxvij the xxiij day of the month of marche
2    I Jone Blake widdow w[i]t[h] a hoyll mynde and a good memorye maketh my laste wyll and testamente in thys man[ner] Fyrste I
3    Com[m]end my soll unto allmyghty god owre lady saynt marey to all the saynts in hevyn and my Body to be buryd in
4    the chyrche or the chyrche lyttyn of saynt mykell of enahm It[em] I gyffe and bequeth onto ye mother chyrche of saynt swe
5    thyns xij d It[em] I gyvv and bequeth to ye chyrche of enahm vj s viij d It[em] I gyvv and bequeth xxvj s viij d to be dystrybute
6    unto poor pepyll in pen[n]y doyll It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my curat Sy[r] Rychard Mersser xx d It[em] I gyff and bequethe
7    to Sy[r] John Batte xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth to mayntenyg of the mo[r]row masse prest in Andover xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth
8    to mayntenyg of Jhe masse in ye chyrche of Andover xx d It[em] I gyff  and bequeth unto the p[ri]or of the freer Augustines
9    in wynchest[er] xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth to Sy[r] Joh[a]n[nis] Whyte freer xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto ev[er]y of freer of ye
10    sayd Augustynes th[a]t ys prest iiij d and to ev[er]y novesse ij d of ye sayd place It[em] I gyff and bequeth to ye chyrche of Fosket
11    to mayntenyg of ye light before saynt Jamys and saynt Sonday xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my dowghter Elsabet
12    mylne xx shepe beside yos y[a]t she hathe allredy and oon Cowe y[a]t I bowght of hyr and xiij s iiij d of money and my gretst
13    pan and fowre plat[t]erst I gyff and bequeth unto my son Nycolas Blake ye tabyll in ye hall and oon clothe callyd ye hallyg
14    and two yryne racks It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my son Robert Blake oon yryne broche and xviij shepe ye wheche
15    shepe he hath in kepyng It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto Thome Jesra of Fosket oon yryne broche The resydew of
16    all my goods moveabyll and unmoveabyll I have not legate I gyff and bequeth unto my chyld[er]ne Nycolas Blake
17    Robert Blake and to Thome Jefra of Fosket and ye sayd goods to be devydytt emongys them equaly ev[er]y oon of
18    them elyke mo[r]e[or]l[e]ss It[em] I make my sonys Nycolas Blake and Robert Blake my trell executors and Thome Jefra of
19    Fosket my sup[er]visor y[a]t he see my last wyll and testament Inplet[ed] and fulfyllyd and the foresaid executors to dypo
20    se for the heylth of my soll as thay shall see moyst expedient thes wytnesses Sy[r] Rychard Mersser Syr
21    Joh[a]n[nis] Batte Nycolas Blake Robert Blake w[i]t[h] other

No probate was located for this will of Jone BLAKE, widow of Enham.

Richard BLAKE (Blayke), Knights Enham, left his will dated  12 Apr 1522 and probated 23 May 1522. Unfortunately, I have not found tax records for Knights Enham earlier than 1598 but these later records indicate only one BLAKE line as both of these individuals are descendant of Jone BLAKE whose will is blogged above. Hence I put forward the thought that this will left by Richard BLA[Y]KE was the husband of Jone BLAKE.

British History Online has a very interesting section of Knight's Enham and King's Enham which at the time of the Domesday Book was regarded as Enham but two different holdings equal in size:

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol4/pp377-379

Continuing to read this early history found online an interesting comment under "Manor" last line first paragraph: " At the end of the 15th century it was said, like so many neighbouring manors, to be held of the freemen of Andover by fealty (Chan. Inq. p.m. (ser. 2), xi, 110). One notes that Lord Sandys is referred to in a number of the wills of the BLAKE family at Enham (see blog posts for William BLAKE and Nicholas BLAKE). Further on under the "Manor" section:" ....SirWilliam Sandys, died seised of the manor jointly with his wife in 1496, before which date it had been entailed on them and their heirs (Chan. Inq. p. m. (Ser. 2), xi, 110). His descendants, the Lords Sandys of the Vyne, continued to hold it until the  middle of the 17th century (Recov. R. Mich. 4 Edw. VI, rot. 535; Mich. 42 Eliz. rot. 172; Trin. 1649, rot. 42; Feet of F. Div Co. Trin. 1649)."

Richard mentions his wife (but not by name), his son Nichi[las]. He mentions his brothers Robert and Thomas who are still living at this time. He does not mention his son Robert or his daughter Elizabeth as far as my rough transcription of Latin seems to indicate.

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

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

1    In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ergo Richardus blayke cy[m]pos
2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]
3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis
4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de
5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d
6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s
7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habeat
8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in endentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s
9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d w[i]t[h]
10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei
11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego
12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et
13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden
14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori
15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde
16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]
17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus
18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is
19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in
20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]
21    Ergo fuit B bo____


The will of Robert BLAKE of Enham, written in Latin and following), does have one line at the end in English which is rather interesting. "Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente that I do dwelth nowe." Finding these wills as I worked my way back in time through the BLAKE family from Upper Clatford back to Andover and then back to Enham was amazing. Robert was likely quite elderly when he died so born in the mid 1400s more or less. There were BLAKE names in the Manor Books of Andover but I have yet to tackle those "all in Latin" documents but do plan to make that attempt in the future. The earliest record that I found was in 1305 and that is a whole other story which I have discussed in my blogs through the years.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 (should be 1521B-??)
Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1522B-04 (should be 1521B-??)

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

I do have copies of the wills of Thomas and Robert sons of Robert Bla[y]ke which I have read but not yet transcribed. One is left to ponder did my line choose the surname Blayke which gradually became BLAKE? Or did they acquire the surname BLAKE by marriage.

This concludes my recitation of the BLAKE family of Andover and surrounding area. In hopes that as I continue to blog on and talk about this BLAKE family the errors made by Horatio Somerby Gates will gradually disappear from genealogies of BLAKE families. Nicholas BLAKE earned his place in history and it is a proud although small part that he played. If I accomplish nothing else with my BLAKE one-name study I at least feel that I have informed, over time, a wide audience of the actual descendancy of this BLAKE family of Andover and area. My own line lived its life mostly within a couple of kilometres of the centre of Andover. My father was born at Eastleigh but his memories of Upper Clatford/Goodworth Clatford were strong as he visited with his grandparents often and knew all of his cousins before coming to Canada as a child of nine years of age with his parents (Samuel George BLAKE and Ada Bessie Cotterill Rawlings (aka Edith Bessie Taylor)) in 1913.

Will of Jone Blake, widow, Enham, Hampshire - Family Search, Film #186682, Catalogue A-377, page 163, dated 23 Mar 1527/1528

This will of Jone Blake, widow, of Enham in 1527 was most kindly written in English; my latin skills are weak at best and the treat of discovering that this will was indeed in English was marvelous. I did blog this will from the copy of Charlou Dolan earlier but I always intended to transcribe it for myself and have now done so. The blog from the earlier will:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/09/will-of-jone-blake-hampshire-record.html

Ever since I found this particular will in Charlou’s work I have wondered who her husband was and the father of Robert, Nicholas and Elizabeth (Mylne). I believe it to be Richard now who left his will in 1522 and hence Jone was a widow in 1527. I tend to think in terms of the old calendar so do not always enter the double dating just as a reminder to any readers.

Who Jone was remains a mystery unless her surname was Jesra as she mentions a Thomas Jesra of Foskett.

Although this might appear to wrap up all the wills in this very early time period there are still a few old ones in this time period that I will be transcribing which may help to locate these families and place them into their lines. The will of William Sylver in 1533 mentions Nycholas Blake and Thomas Blake.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Feb 2014
Source: Family Search, Film # 186682, Catalogue A-377, page 163
Testator: Jone Blake, widow
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Mar 1527/1528
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: copied test[ament]

1    Jn die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] the yer of owre lord god oon thowsand five hundredth xxvij the xxiij day of the month of marche
2    J Jone Blake widow w[i]t[h] hoyll mynde and a good memorye maketh my laste wyll and testmente in thys man[ner] Fyrste J
3    commend my soll unto allmyghty god owre lady saynt marey to all the saynts in hevyn and my Body to be buryd in
4    the chyrche or the chyrche lyttyn of saynt mykell of enahm Jt[em] J gyffe and bequeth onto the mother chyrche of saynt swe
5    thyns xii d Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeth to the chyrche of enahm vj s viij d Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeath xxvj s viij d to be dystrybute
6    unto poor pepyll in pen[n]y doyll Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my curat Sy[r] Rychard Mersser xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequethe
7    to Sy[r] John Batte xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth to mayntenyg of the morrow masse prest in Andover xx d Jt[em] I gyff and bequeth
8    to mayntenyg of Jhs masse in the chyrche of Andover xx d Jt[em] J gyff  and bequeth unto the p[ri]or of the freer Augustines
9    in wynchest[er] xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth to Sy[r] Joh[a]n[nis] Whyte freer xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto ev[er]y of freer of the
10    seyd Augustynes th[a]t ys prest iiij d and to ev[er]y novesse ij d of the sayd place Jt[em] J gyvv and bequeth to the chyrche of Fosket
11    to mayntenyg of the light before saynt Jamys and saynt Aidan xx d Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my dowghter Elsabet
12    mylne xx shepe beside thyos th[a]t she hathe allredy and oon Cowe th[a]t J bowght of hyr and xij s iij d of money and my gretst
13    pan and fowre plat[t]erst J gyff and bequeth unto my son Nycolas Blake the tabyll in the hall and oon clothe callyd the hallyg
14    and two yryne racks Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto my son Robert Blake oon yryne broche and xviij shepe the wheche
15    shepe he hath in kepyng Jt[em] J gyff and bequeth unto Thome Jesra of Fosket oon yryne broche The resydew of
16    all my goods moveabyll and unmoveabyll J have not legate J gyff and bequeth unto my child[er]ne Nycolas Blake
17    Robert Blake and to Thome Jesra of Fosket and the sayd goods to be devydytt emongys them equaly ev[er]y oon of
18    them elyke mo[r]e[or]l[e]ss Jt[em] J make my sonys Nycolas Blake and Robert Blake my trell executors and Thomas Jesra of
19    Fosket my sup[er]visor th[a]t he see my last wyll and testament Jnplet[ed] and fulfyllyd and the foresaid executors to dypo
20    se for the heylth of my soll as thay shall see moyst expedient the witnesses Sy[r] Rychard Mersser Syr
21    Joh[a]n[nis] Batte Nycolas Blake Robert Blake w[i]t[h] other

Will of Jone Blake, Hampshire Record Office -1528B-06, probated 1528

This will is not my transcription. It was transcribed by Charlou Dolan a Blake researcher who has been doing genealogy for over thirty years. One of my projects is to purchase this will and others from the Hampshire Record Office. Hopefully next winter will see me do that as I would like to transcribe it myself although Charlou does an excellent  job of transcription.

Jone Blake was the widow of (unknown) Blake although some researchers have given him the forename William and placed him as a son of Robert Blake and Avice Wallop. The Pedigree Chart for the Blake family held at the Swindon Wiltshire Registry Office does not list William as a son of Robert Blake and Avice Wallop. Rather they list a William Blake married to Avis Ripley as a son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard with the father of Roger Blake being Robert Blake married to Margaret Inglefield. This Robert was a son of Robert Blake and Avice Wallop.  The Visitation for the Blake family at Calne (namely Robert Blake and Avice Wallop). The 1623 Visitation of Wiltshire which has a Visitation for the Blake family does not list a son William for Robert Blake and Avis Wallop: children listed for this couple include Elizabeth, Alice, Joane, John, Gilbert, Alexander and Robert.  It is somewhat of a mystery why the Pedigree Chart which is built from the Visitations does add in a son William which I hope to solve one day.

The Will itself which is found below states that Jone Blake is a widow of Enham and remembers her three children Elizabeth (married to Mr. Mylne), Nicholas and Robert. The Overseer Thomas Jefra (sp) of Foxcott is rather interesting to me.  I wonder how he fits into this family grouping/friend grouping. Other than that there isn't a lot of information in the will that helps one to place Jone into a birth family.  The purpose of publishing this will is to establish that Nicholas was the son of (unknown) Blake and Jone Blake widow. That she died in 1527/1528 by which time her daughter was married so that she is likely over 40 years of age. She does not mention if her sons are married but we do know that both are married because of the wills of Nicholas and Robert. There are grandchildren because Nicholas mentions that his son William has children in his will in 1547 so William is likely born before 1527.

Having laid down the timeline for this Andover family Jone Blake widow to Nicholas Blake to William Blake I will now move on to the next will in order in Hampshire. I will likely transcribe with a few thoughts on each will as I remember it linking to another if it does and with lookups in the parish registers if I have them or the IGI. Once I have transcribed all of the Blake wills in my possession and there are quite a few left then I will return to a more thorough look at them.I have replaced all of the "Ampersand" with "and" because blogger adds in additional information when ampersand is used.

A-****  LDS FHL Film 186,682 will #163

Jone Blake, widow, Enham; will dated 23 Mar 1527 [old style?]

Sir Rychard Mersser, curate

Sir John Whyte, friar

daughter Elsabet Mylne

son Nicholas Blake, executor

son Robert Blake, executor

overseer: Thoms. Jefra of Fosket [Foxcott?]

witnesses:  Sir Richard Mersser  Sir John Batte  Nycolas Blake  Robert Blake

Consistory Court of Winchester, Register D, folio 118:

     In dei no'ie Amen  The yere of o'r lorde gode ml vc xxvii the xxviii day of m'che I Johane Blake, wydow w't a hole mynde and a gudde memory make my last wyll and testament in this man'

     First I com'end my soule to all myghty gode, o'r lady seynt mary and to all the seynts in hevyn and my body to be buryed in the Churche or in the churche litten of seynt Michaell of Enahm[sic]

     It'm I gyve and bequeth unto the mother churche of seynt Swyth' xiid

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to the churche of Enah'm vis viiid

     It'm I guve and bequeth xxvis viiid to be distribute unto pore people in peny dole

     It' I gyve and bequeth to my Curate S Ryc Mersser xxd

     It' I gyve and bequeth to S John Batte xxd

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to the maynteyning of the morow masse prest in Andov' xxd

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to the mayntenyng of Jhus masse in the churche of Andov' xxd

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to the p'ror of Freers Augustines in Wync' xxd

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to s John' whight freer xxd

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to ev'y freer of the seid augustines that ys a prest iiiid and to ev'r noves iid of theseid place

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to my douzter Elsabeth mylne xxli shepe beside those she hath All'redy and one cow th't I bouzt of her and xiiis iiid of money and my gretyst panne and foure platters

     It'm I give and bequeath unto my son Nycholas Blake the tabull in the hall and one clothe called the hallyng and ii Iron rakks

     It'm I gyve and bequeath unto my son Rob't Blake one Iron broche and xviii shepe the wheiche shepe he hath in his kepying

     It'm I gyve and bequeth to Thoms Iesra off foskett one Iron broche

     The residue of my goos moveable & unmoveable above not legate I gyve and bequeth unto my children Nycholas Blake Robt Blake and to Thoms Iesra of Foskett and theseid goods to be devyded amongs them equally evy of them lyke moche

     It'm I make my sones Nycholas Blake and Robt Blake my trewe executors and Thomas Iesa of Foskett my supviso'r that he se my last wyll and testament Implete & fulfilled & theseid execut to dispose for the heithe of my soule as the shall se most expedyent

These witnesse S Ryc Mersser

S John Batte

Nycholas Blake

Robt Blake w't