Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2). Mrs. Lanaghan
and the splendid attire of the governor; but as this work is strictly confined to Antigua, such detail will be superfluous.
In 1684, during the administration of Sir William Stapleton, slaves were annexed to freeholds, and could be voted upon, the same as a freehold, or levied upon for distress. In illustration of this, a person possesses a family of slaves—say the mother and five or six children, the youngest in arms and drawing its daily nutriment from its parent; the owner of these slaves falls into difficulties—he owes a certain sum, and his creditor takes out an execution against him. The value of the negro woman covers, perhaps, the amount of debt, and accordingly she is seized, carried away, and sold, probably to a third or even a fourth person, and her baby and other children are severed from her, and she left alone. Oh! slavery, slavery, how dost thou debase the sons of men!
Sir William Stapleton dying, King James appointed Sir Nathaniel Johnson, governor-in-chief, who continued to act as such until the first year of the reign of William and Mary, when he retired to America, and was succeeded in the government by Colonel Christopher Codrington in 1689.29
Colonel Codrington was so indefatigable in planting and cultivating the sugar-cane in Antigua, that he has been termed the patron of the island. This gentleman removed from Barbados to Antigua in 1674; when he purchased a large quantity of land, and formed the first sugar estate upon the island, and, sending for his wife and children, constituted himself one of its earliest planters. The Codrington family is of old extraction, and many a brave warrior has sprang from that source, as British history will shew.30
About the first year of Colonel Codrington’s government, in 1689, the fortifications at Monk Hill were commenced; but they appear not to have been carried on with any degree of spirit until 1705. This year the crew of a French privateer landed at Five Islands’ Bay, and burnt and plundered the surrounding country; and carried away with them several negroes, besides much spoil. The Antiguans, highly incensed at this invasion, placed a small force on board an armed vessel under command of Captain Walter Hamilton, and pursued the enemy. This plan succeeded, and they returned to Antigua with the privateer as a prize; on board of which were some Irishmen, who were hung as a warning to others.
The English government was greatly annoyed at these repeated attacks upon her West Indian colonies; and William III. made it one of his complaints against the French king upon declaring war with that monarch. Supposing that, after this war was declared, the French would be more active in their incursions, the inhabitants of Antigua determined to keep better watch. Sir Timothy Thornhill arriving with troops, all military affairs were delegated to him; and by his orders, guards were stationed at all the bays, and a constant look-out kept. Still the Caribs and a few Frenchmen managed to effect a landing, by sailing up some of the creeks, and killed ten of the inhabitants, and plundered some provision grounds. It was thought proper to appoint some reward for soldiers acting valiantly in defence of the island; and to make some provision for the wounded, and allowance for the widows and children of the slain. If any white servant shewed deeds of valour, and could obtain a certificate of such from the hands of his officer, that servant was freed,31 the country paying to his master a sum proportionate to his services. If wounded they were to receive medical attendance and maintenance free of charge; if disabled, to receive yearly 3000lbs. of sugar for life; and if killed, their widows were to have the same amount of sugar, and the children to be taken care of, and supported by the country. The owners of those slaves who fell in defence of the country, were also recompensed, by having 5000lbs. of sugar paid them from the public stock for every negro killed or mortally wounded, instead of having such slaves valued by arbitration, as was the plan from the year 1672. Regulations were also gone into by the legislature, for the establishing of courts of law, and settling due methods for the distribution of justice throughout the colony.
About the middle of this year (1689) Colonel Hewetson, with a party of men, embarked on board a man of war, and sailed to attack Guadaloupe. They landed with but little opposition, and having obtained some plunder, and given the French a kind of tit-for-tat, returned in safety to Antigua. This was a very busy year for the Antiguans; for no sooner had Colonel Hewetson reached Antigua with his troops, from the late attack, than they raised 300 men, and sailed to the island of Marie Galante. Here they met with like success in the way of retaliation; beating the inhabitants, burning their town, and obtaining more plunder. From Marie Galante they proceeded to St. Martin’s, where Fortune, that usually fickle goddess, did not forsake them; for they not only plundered the place and increased their spoils, but drove the French completely off the island. Upon their return, General Codrington (for the governor had arrived to this rank) sent three sloops, with eighty men, under the command of Captain Edward Thorn, to the island of Anguila, to bring from thence all the English who resided there; they having been very cruelly used by some Irishmen, whom the French had landed there, for that purpose, a year before.
1690 was again ushered in by that demon—War. Louis, that ambitious, but admired monarch, encouraged his subjects to invade the English colonies, in the West Indies and America, while he assisted James, the abdicated sovereign, in his attempts upon England and Ireland. General Codrington was warmly attached to the reigning monarchs, William and Mary, and consequently endeavoured on all occasions to further their interest in the West Indies. No sooner had accounts arrived at Antigua of the battle of the Boyne, and William’s victory over the French troops upon that eventful day, than the governor determined to strike a blow for the honour of England. Admiral Wright arriving with a strong squadron of men of war, General Codrington prevailed upon all the other Leeward Islands to raise forces to endeavour to retake St. Kitt’s, which had fallen to the French king some time before, by the fortunes of war. Antigua, never behind the other islands in warlike deeds, raised a body of 400 (or, as some authors make it, 800) men, which were placed under the command of that gallant officer, Colonel Rowland Williams, and 200 gentlemen volunteers, under command of Colonel Willoughby Byam, who served as a body-guard to the governor-general, Christopher Codrington; and, by dint of prowess, their object was gained, for not only did they oblige the French to surrender the island, but, according to some authors, actually transported about eighteen hundred of them to St. Domingo and Martinique.32 A general council and assembly was held this year, and an agent and commissioners appointed for the negotiation and management of the affairs of the Leeward Islands, as well as the raising and settling a proper fund for the defraying the expense of the same. Rewards were also given to the soldiers who acted valiantly in the late expedition.
The following year (1691) passed in quietness. The French were too much taken up with their European engagements to have much force in the West Indies; and Admiral Wright, cruizing about these seas, intimidated the few privateers still lurking about. It was deemed necessary by the legislature this year to enact a law, obliging all the members of the assembly to serve in such capacity when elected.
The year 1692 was chiefly passed in settling island business, and making laws to redress several grievances which were severely felt by the inhabitants. One of these was as follows: after the reduction of this island, and its restoration to the English in 1667, a great many persons pretended to have a right to large portions of land, by virtue of grants prior to the war, but which they had failed to cultivate. The consequence of this was, that the country was rapidly going to ruin; and the only way to avert it was, by government granting these lands to more industrious persons, as an encouragement to them to settle. When, after a lapse of time, the former possessors found their barren and uncultivated lands turned into profitable estates, they came forward and claimed them as their own; and so annoying were these threatenings to those who had worked the change, that although they had spent both time and money, they preferred leaving the island, and seeking some other home. To rectify this, it was determined by the legislature this year, that all persons who possessed lands by grants from government should be confirmed in the same, providing they had held them for five years. Still, that justice might be equally imparted to all, if the former possessors put in their claim within two years, and it was allowed by a jury that they had a right to the same, they could demand the value of their lands as they were when they left them. A vestry was this year elected, churchwardens appointed, and a parish register ordered to be kept in each of the parishes in the island. In this register, all christenings, marriages, and burials were to be entered, under penalty of 5l. currency, the fee for which was 9d. currency each.