Will of George Blake, Gentleman of Plymstock

Proved 16 August 1655

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/244/607, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by Elizabeth Kipp

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
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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
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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
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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

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