This, being part of those 3 Kts. fees whereof Philip de Estley, Ancestour to the family of Astley, had been enfeofft in the time of H. 1. (as I have already pointed at in my discourse of Hill-morton) was held by his descendants of the Earls of Warwick by the third part of a Kts. fee; and, of them by Henry sirnamed Iabet, son to Fulco de Merston; which Henry gave 4 yard land here to the Abby of Leicester, whereupon he was received into that Monastery, as a Canon, and his wife as a sister. To him succeeded Iohn his son and heir, sometimes called Ioh. filius Henrici de Merstona, and sometimes Iohn Iabet, who was a Benefactor to the Monks of Combe, by giving to them lands in this place: which grant K. H. 2. confirmed.
This Henry had a brother called Robert ; who, having certain lands in this Village, gave divers small parcels thereof to the said Monks of Combe: and not onely so, but, by his deed made them promise, that he would neither sell nor pawn any of it, except to that Monastery. Which grants to those Monks, with divers more made by several persons, whose names are of no great note, were confirm'd by Thomas the son to Walter de Est∣ley, in an. 1241. 25 H. 3. To whom succeeded Sir Andrew de Astley Kt. who confirmed to them and their successours for ever a Court-Leet here for their own tenants; which, with other privi∣ledges, was allowed of by the K. in 13 E. 1. But the residue of this town, the said Sir Andrew himself held by the service of half a Kts. fee, (as I have already said) and, in 13 E. 1. claimed here, by prescription, a Court-Leet, Gallows, Weyfs, power to punish the breakers of the Assize of Bread and Ale, Free-warren, with immunity from the common amerciaments, and of aid to the Shiriff, it being then accounted a member of Ast∣ley, all which were allowed. But further than this have I not found any thing considerable of it, other than, that after the dissolution of the Mona∣steries, that part, which belong'd to the Abby of Combe, was, with divers other lands, granted by Letters Pat. dated 28 Octob. 36 H. 8. to Thomas Broke and Iohn Williams, and to the heirs of Broke; from whom, it seems, Henry Waver soon purchased it: for I find , that on the 26 of Febr. next following, the said Henry aliened it to Will. Perkins, whose descendants do still enjoy it.