Francis Leke, 1st Earl of Scarsdale

Biography

Francis Leke, of Sutton was the son and heir of Sir Francis Leke (d. 1626) by his first wife, Frances, daughter and co-heir of Robert Swifte of Bayton, and Ellen his wife, daughter and heir of Nicholas Wickersley, County York. He was created a baronet in 1611, and Lord Deincourt (or d'Eyncourt) of Sutton in 1624.

At the beginning of April 1643 Lord Deincourt began to fortify his house at Sutton. Sir John Gell sent his brother, Colonel Thomas Gell, with 500 men and three pieces of ordnance, to besiege it. Lord Deincourt was summoned, but refused to surrender, and for some time obstinately defended himself. The house was taken, and Lord Deincourt and his men made prisoners: the works were demolished, and Lord Deincourt set at liberty, on giving his word that he would go to Derby within eight days, and submit himself to the Parliament. Sir John Gell observes, that the forfeiture of his word, on this occasion, was revenged by the garrison at Bolsover, who some time afterwards, when that castle was in the hands of the Parliament, plundered Lord Deincourt's house at Sutton. In the same year, fighting under Lord Deincourt's banner, two of his sons were killed fighting for their King, at the battle of Lansdowne, on 5 July 5, 1643.

In 1645, Lord Deincourt was created Earl of Scarsdale. Having rendered himself very obnoxious to the Parliament, by his exertions in the royal cause, during the First English Civil War, his estates were sequestered; and as he refused to compound, they were sold. His son procured some friends to be the purchasers, he paying the sum of £18,000, fixed by the Parliamentary commissioners as the composition.

Earl of Scarsdale having devoted himself, his family, and fortune, to the cause of King Charles I and monarchy, became so much mortified at the execution of King Charles, that he dressed himself in sackcloth, and having his grave dug some years before his death, laid himself down in it every Friday, exercising himself frequently in divine meditations and prayers. He died at his house at Sutton, in Scarsdale, 9 April 1655, and was buried in the church there.

The title became extinct by the death of Nicholas, the 4th Earl, in 1736. After this event, the large estates belonging to this family were sold for the payment of debts.

Family

Francis Leke (Leake) married Anne, daughter of Sir Edward Cary (Carey) of Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire, and sister of Henry, Viscount Falkland, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, and they had the following children:

Leke's half brother William Leke was the father of Sir Francis Leke, 1st Bart

Ballad

A song about his exploits was written by Richard Howitt (one of the "Worthies" of Derbyshire), the first verse of which is: