x 5 S HISTORY OF THE [book nr. 
So early as 1632, a few English families took up 
lands there, and began the cultivation of tobacco. 
Among these was a son of Sir Thomas Warner, 
whose descendants still possess very considerable 
property in the island, one of them (Ashton War¬ 
ner, Esq.) having been, in 1787, president of the 
council, and commander in chief in the absence of 
the governor. 
But the settlement was nearly strangled in its in- 
fency. In 1666, a French armament from Mar- 
tinico, co-operating with a body of Charaibes, in¬ 
vaded the island and ravaged the country with fire 
and sword. All the negroes that could be found 
were taken away, and the inhabitants, after behold¬ 
ing their houses and estates in flames, were plun¬ 
dered even to the clothes on their backs, and the 
shoes on their feet, without regard to sex or age. 
Its recovery from this calamity was owing chiefly 
to the enterprising spirit and extensive views of 
colonel Codrington, of Barbadoes. This gentle¬ 
man removing to Antigua about the year 1674, ap¬ 
plied his knowledge in sugar planting with such 
good effect and success, that others, animated by 
his example, and assisted by his advice and encou¬ 
ragement, adventured in the same line of cultiva¬ 
tion. Mr. Codrington was some years afterwards 
nominated captain-general and commander in chief 
of all the Leeward Charaibean islands, and, deriving 
from this appointment the power of giving greater 
energy to his benevolent purposes, had soon the 
