He was the son and heir of Sir Francis Leke by his first wife Frances Swifte, a daughter and co-heiress of Robert Swifte of Bayton, by his wife Ellen Wickersley, daughter and heiress of Nicholas Wickersley of Yorkshire. His half brother William Leke was the father of Sir Francis Leke, 1st Baronet.
Career
He was created a baronet in 1611, and in 1624 was raised to the peerage as Baron Deincourt of Sutton, a title assumed, as Thoroton supposes, because Morton and Parkhall, in Derbyshire, both formerly the property, and the latter an ancient residence of the d'Eyncourts, had become the possession and inheritance of the family of Leke, and 'in memory', as he expresses it, 'of that illustrious stock, otherwise almost forgotten'." At the beginning of April 1643 Lord Deincourt began to fortify his house at Sutton. Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet 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 were made prisoners; the works were demolished, and Lord Deincourt was 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 the king at the Battle of Lansdowne, on 5 July 1643. In 1645 Lord Deincourt was created Earl of Scarsdale. Having rendered himself very obnoxious to Parliament by his exertions in the royal cause during the Civil War, his estates were sequestered; and as he refused to accept a fine from the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents, 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.
Death and burial
The 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 Scarsdale on 9 April 1655, and was buried in the church there.
Nicholas Leke, 2nd Earl of Scarsadale, known during his father's lifetime as Lord Deincourt, eldest son and heir. The titles became extinct on the death of Nicholas Leke, 4th Earl of Scarsdale in 1736, when the family's large estates were sold to meet debts.
Edward Leke and Charles Leke, who were slain at the Battle of Lansdowne in 1643;
Henry Leke, who died unmarried.
Anne Leke, eldest daughter, who married Henry Hildyard of Winestead, Yorkshire
