Mrs. Lanaghan - Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2)

In the year 1632, General Sir Thomas Warner, at that time, by the sanction of the Earl of Carlisle, the legal proprietor, and, under warrant from the king, Governor of St. Christopher, Nevis, Barbados, and Montserrat, sent his son Edward, a captain in the army, with a sufficient party, to colonize Antigua, which design he carried into effect, and during the remainder of his life continued to act as governor, although we have discovered no evidence of his having ever possessed, either as principal or deputy, any warrant for assuming the title, or executing the functions of governor, except so far as his father, as agent for the Earl of Carlisle, the lord proprietor of the island, might be considered as vested with authority; for in his commission from the crown, no mention is made of Antigua.

The name of Warner being thus distinguished in the annals of Antigua, we may be excused for making a digression upon the history of its founder, more especially as it affords a good illustration of the process of colonization in our West Indian and American possessions.

General Sir Thomas Warner was a scion of an ancient and distinguished English family; but from being a younger son, he was obliged to use personal efforts, in order to effect an honourable passage through life. Having entered into the army at an early age, and attained the rank of captain, he accompanied Roger North, brother of Lord North, in his expedition to Guiana, a country which was then looked upon as a perfect Eldorado . Here he became acquainted with a Captain Painton, a great navigator of those times, and one who had well studied the then all-engrossing subject of colonization.

This gentleman suggested to Captain Warner how much more facility would attend a settlement in one of the smaller islands, than in a country so extensive as Guiana; and from his own personal experience, he thought St. Christopher’s (at that time unoccupied by any European power) would be an island particularly adapted for the exercise of a daring spirit, in the way of planting a settlement.

These suggestions of his friend appear to have made due impression upon the mind of Mr. Warner; for in 1620, after the death of Captain Painton, he resolved to return to England, and endeavour to procure the aid of some kindred spirit, in order to put his designs into execution. Having so far succeeded in his plans as to procure all necessary arrangements for establishing a colony, Mr. Warner again left England, accompanied by his wife and son, Edward, (who was a captain in the army at the early age of thirteen, and who was afterwards appointed first governor of Antigua,) and a small party of followers, 1and embarked on board a vessel bound for Virginia, whence himself and party proceeded to St. Christopher’s, where they arrived 28th January, 1623. Mr. Warner, as head of the settlers, commenced immediately the task of cultivation, in which he so far progressed as to raise a crop of tobacco, which was unfortunately destroyed in the severe hurricane of the 19th of the following September.

During this period, the movements of the English were diligently observed by the Caribs, who, instigated by three Frenchmen, (supposed to have been cast upon the island by a former storm,) at length made an outbreak upon the English, and retarded in some measure their work of cultivation.

By the end of the following February, Mr. Warner had another crop of tobacco ready for exportation; and the ship Hopewell (commanded by Captain Jefferson) arriving on the 4th March, 1624, from London, bringing fresh supplies for the infant colony, a few emigrants, and goods with which to trade with the Caribs, Mr. Warner resolved to return in her to England, in order to obtain more powerful assistance. He accordingly embarked himself and his first-gathered crop on board the “Hopewell,” and once more sought the shores of England, to receive the congratulations of his friends, and search for a patron who would enable him to carry out further his plans of colonization.

Between that period and 1625, Mr. Warner was employed in voyaging backwards and forwards from St. Christopher’s and England, leaving the cares of the government to his son, Edward Warner, (of whom Du Tertre speaks very handsomely,) until, having gained a friend and patron in the Earl of Carlisle, he was introduced at the court of the then reigning sovereign, Charles I. This monarch was so pleased with Mr. Warner’s indefatigable and patriotic spirit, that he was graciously pleased to grant him a commission, (signed 13th Sept. 1625,) constituting him governor over the “foure islands of St. Christopher’s, Nevis, Barbados, and Mountserrate,” 2and on the 21st September, 1629, knighted him at Hampton Court Palace. 3

Some of Sir Thomas Warner’s descendants have filled the highest situations in Antigua, administering the government at times. Nor is the family extinct, for many there are who can trace their descent in a direct line from this great founder of four flourishing colonies. One of these was in 1838 “gathered to his fathers;” he was esteemed as an able legislator, and fulfilled his duties as president of the council, brigadier-general of the militia, and occasionally lieutenant-governor, with integrity. As this family ranks among the first aristocrats of the island, a more particular account of their lineal descent may not be deemed superfluous, and will be found in the Appendix, No. 2.

1The names of these adventurous few were as follows:—​William Tasted, John Rhodes, Robert Bims, Mr. Benifield, Sergeant Jones, Mr. Ware, William Ryle, Rowland Grasscocke, Mr. Bond, Mr. Langley, Mr. Weaver, Sergeant Aplon, one sailor, and a cook.

2Vide copy of the first commission granted, No. 1, Appendix.

3Sir Thomas Warner died at St. Christopher’s in 1648. His tomb is still to be met with in the parish church for the township of Old Road, (a place which derives its name from the involuntary exclamation of Columbus upon his second visit to St. Christopher’s, “Ah! we are at the old road again,”) the inscription upon which is as follows:—

An Epitaph vpon Th-------------------

Noble & Mvch Lamented Genr lSir Tho. Warner, K tLievtenant General of y eCarribee Ielands & Gover rof y eIeland of S tChristopher Who Departed This Life the 10th of March 1648.

First Read then weepe when thou art hereby taught,

That Warner lyes interr’d here, one that bought,

With losse of Noble bloud Illustrious Name,

Of A Comander Greate in Acts of Fame.

Trayn’d from his youth in Armes, his courage bold,

Attempted braue Exploites, and vncontrold

By fortunes fiercest Frownes, hee still gaue forth

Large Narratiues of Military worth.

----ritten with his sword’s poynt, but what is man

-------the midst of his glory, and who can

----------this Life A moment, since that hee

-------------by Sea and Land, so longe kept free

-----------al, Mortal Strokes at length did yeeld

------------ace) to conquering Death the field,

fini Coronat.

The black lines shew where the marble is broken, or the letters from some other cause are quite obliterated.

Table of Contents

History of the island continued​—​Sir Henry Hunks​—​Descent of the Caribs​—​Legend of Ding-a-ding Nook​—​Arrival of the Ship Nonsuch​—​Sir Thomas Modiford​—​Earl of Warwick, Captain-General​—​Captain Edward Warner​—​Colonel Rich​—​Colonel Lake​—​Mr. Everard​—​Sir George Ayscue​—​Colonel Christopher Reynall​—​Invasion by the Caribs​—​Dissensions among the inhabitants​—​Copy of Colonel Reynall’s letter to Cromwell​—​Attack upon St. Domingo and Jamaica​—​Major-General Poyntz​—​Grant of Antigua to Lord F. Willoughby.