I have a bit of a dilemma. I have traced a line back to about 1650 with 99% confidence and 1625 with 90% confidence. The 1625 record is a baptism of James Ley (which is also, and normally, Lea, in the records here), son of John. John was clearly living in the place then. This happens to be on the first and earliest surviving page of the register of Shenton, Leics. Shenton was just a hamlet and chapelry within the larger parish of Market Bosworth.
In Market Bosworth there is a record of quite a lot of Leas going back to at least 1569 (the earliest date of the register here). Some of these Leas were certainly farmers, connected with another hamlet which actually adjoined Shenton. This hamlet had no chapel and the inhabitants seem to have used Mkt. Bosworth church. I have a lot of evidence from the 1700’s onwards that the Leas were spread widely around Bosworth parish and beyond, all farmers.
Because the Bosworth register is poorly preserved in places there may be a connection between Leas in both places which is now lost from the record. I’d be very surprised if there isn’t a link.
My dilemma is that I have found a will of 1508 of a Robert Lee in Market Bosworth (it might possibly read Lea and even if not, that is maybe not too significant). I can’t read more than about one in six words. He certainly had a son William, and there are William Leas here in the later 1500’s. Does anyone think it would be worth trying to get it translated. It clearly isn’t just a question of posting the odd line in the handwriting section of the forum. I’m really just seeking an opinion on whether my line of reasoning looks flawed.
Sorry this is so long, but if Robert was connected I’d be really chuffed
