lega

1 lega [ME leie, lega] , lea, natural glade or clearing in woodland, fallow or untilled ground; b (in surname); c (in place-name). 1172 in quibus hec propriis duximus exprimenda vocabulis: ‥ ~am in foresta de Bottewode et Bechtote cum omnibus pertinentiis suis Papsturkunden in England I 382n. 114; 1184 usque in mediam moram de A. et usque in primas ~as de Mosewode Rec. Templars 257; 1193 (v. escaeta 1); 1320 et de dicta cruce equaliter transeundo ultra ~am de Lattwayt usque Gretepull Cart. Cockersand 298; 1531 prata et pasturas ‥ cum una ~a vocata Legge Reg. Heref. 260.  b 1169 Willelmus de ~a r. c. de viij li. Pipe 53; 1229 Stephanus de ~a Pat 299; 1242 Alanus de Leya Pipe 130; a1278 omnibus Matildis de ~a salutem Cart. Osney II 431.  c a1097 pater meus concessit Lidiard et ~am ecclesie sancti Petri de Wintonia et Walkelino episcopo (Ch. Wint.) EHR XXXV 388; a1107 apud ~am Chr. Abingd. II 115; c1183 Richardo de Cokelea Cart. Osney IV 443; c1187 ad ‥ priorem de Huraleya Ib. 430; c1189 testibus ‥ abbate de Nutleia Ib. 442; 1257 de dono A. ‥ terram de bosco, Langam Leyam, Curtam Leyam, croftam Hardewyni (Ch.) MonA IV 230a.

2 lega [MSc. lay, ley < AN alay, OF aloi < alligatum] , degree of purity or mixture of gold or silver. 1438 (v. 1 carat).

3 lega v. legga