Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume 2 (of 2) / A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present day

No. 5.

Copy of the Grant of Land to Col. Philip Warner, after the Restoration of Antigua to the English Crown, in 1667.

William Lord Willoughby of Parham Captⁿ Generall and Chief Governor of Barbados and the rest of the Caribee Islands, To all whom these presents shall come greeting​—​Whereas the King’s most excellent Majestie hath by due Conquest regained to himself y^e sole and absolute right and propriet unto and in y^e said Island of Antigua and every part thereof. The said Island having been lately taken and conquered by the f.french and since retaken and reduced to his Majestie’s obedience by his Majestie’s forces. And Whereas the Assembly or Representatives of the said Island have acknowledged and recognized His Majestie’s said title by Conquest and have wholly submitted to y^e same. Now know ye by virtue of the power and authority to me given by His Majestie’s Letters Pattents under the great Seale of England bearing date the third day of January in the yeare one thousand six hundred sixty and six and by his instructions under his privy signett bearing date the fourth day of February in y^e said year enabling me to grant and confirm estates in His Majestie’s behalfe in the said Caribee Islands. I the said William Lord Willoughby for divers good and lawful considerations Have given granted remised released and confirmed and doe by these Presents give grant release remise and confirme unto Coll Phillip Warner his Heires and Assignes for Ever all y^e right title interest or demand which his said Majestie now hath or heretofore had to a certaine plantation or parcell of land situate laying and being y^e Island Antigua aforesaid commonly called and known by the name of the Savanna The Westward part of which is bounded upon y^e lands of Thomas Compton in Falmouth Division and part of y^e lands called Picadilla the North East thereof in part bounded with y^e . . . . of George Mould the land of William Phillips y^e lands of John Andrews and y^e land of Phillip Lenird and part w^th y^e sea. The Southward part thereof is bounded by a line drawn from the head of English Harbor Creeke through the Valley towards Crosse Cove in falm^o harbor and from y^e head of y^e aforesaid Creeke two hundred foot or forty geometricall paces from y^e high water marke observing y^e turnings and windings of English Harbor to y^e Southermost end of the Sandy Bay at y^e mouth of the said Harbor, and part with y^e sea The Eastermost part wholly bounded w^th y^e sea side. Together withall and singular the Houses Edifices, Buildings Timber, Timber trees, Woods, Underwoods, Waters, Water-courses, Rights, Members Jurisdictions, Wayes, Easem^ts Proffits, Priviledges, Commodities, Hereditaments, and Appurtenances whatsoever to y^e same belonging or any wayes apertaining To Have and to Hold the said Plantation or parcell of land w^th all and singular y^e appurtenances to him y^e said Coll Phillip Warner his Heires and Assignes and to y^e only use benefitt and behoaf of him y^e said Phillip Warner his heires and Assignes in Free . . . . Yielding and paying therefore yearly for ever unto His Majestie his heires and Successors one Eare of Indian Corne att or upon y^e feast of y^e Birth of our Lord Christ in full satisfaction of all rents and services for ever. In Witness whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand and caused His Majestie’s Seale appointed for Barbados and y^e rest of the Caribee Islands to be affixed the Eleventh day of Aprill in the twentieth yeare of y^e Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of y^e Faith Anno que Domini One thousand Six hundred Sixty Eight.

To all Xion People to whom these presents shall come William Stapleton Capⁿ Gen^l over all His Maj^ties Leeward Islands in America Sendeth Greetinge Know ye that I William Stapleton Capⁿ Gen as aforesaid in pursuance of His moste Excellent Maj^ties Charles the Second his Commission to me directed Bareing date the tenth day of February and by virtue of an article in y^e same Impowering me to Sell Lett and dispose of all such lands tenements and Hereditaments in and upon any or either y^e said Islands which shall fall or by Law Ellapse or otherwise become due or belonging unto our Said Soveraigne Lord y^e King and the same or any part of Pall thereof from time to time to dispose of under such moderate quitt Rents acknowledgements or securities to be reserved to His Majes^tie his Heires and Successors by mee shall bee deemed meete and convenient. And further by one other Article in his Maj^ties said Commission I am fully Impowered and authorized by his said Maj^tie to grant Letters and Charters of Incorporasion to all Citties, Townes, Boroughs and other places w^thn any or either y^e said Islands or plantations respectively w^th all liberties, franchises, and priviledges requisite and usually granted to any such w^thn the kingdom of England which said grants charters or priviledges soe by me granted and —————— His Maj^ties great Scale appointed for his said Leeward Islands, and beinge duly Entered inrold and recorded shall be good and effectuall in Law against any Pson, Power or Authoritie what so ever. Know ye therefore that I the said William Stapleton Capⁿ Gen^l &ca by virtue of my said Commission and y^e severall Powers to mee therein given for and in y^e behalfe of our Soueraigne Lord y^e King, for divers good and lawfull causes and considerations hereinafter in the Psents mentioned and expressed and forasmuch as Coll Phillip Warner of the Island of Antigua stands possessed of a certain freehold and plantation or Pall of land in and upon y^e said Island of Antigua commonly call’d or known by the name of the Savanna by virtue of a grant and Pattent had and obtained by the said Coll Phillip Warner from and under the hand of William Lord Willoughby of Parham late Capⁿ Gen^l and Governor in Chiefe of Barbadose and the rest of the Leeward Islands and sealed w^th the greate Seale then appointed by his Maj^tie for the said Islands bearing date the 11^th day of April 1668. I have at the speciall instance and request of him y^e said Coll Phillip Warner Given granted released remised and confirmed as I doe by these Psents give grant release remise and confirme unto the said Coll Phillip Warner his heires and assignes for ever the said Plantation and freehold under the name and title of the Manor of fframingham and doe by virtue of this my Pattent invest him the said Coll Phillip Warner his Heires and Assignes for ever in Right Title and Interest of the said Plantation in a Mannor and Royaltie Lyinge w^thn the Limits and bounds hereinafter mentioned and expressed. That is to say the Westward part of the said land being bounded w^th the land of Mr William Wainwright and Crowne land in Falmouth Harbor To the North w^th the land of Mr Nath^l Monck and the land anciently call’d and known by name of Piccadille Hills and to the North East w^th the land late of George Mould the lands of John Pinchin Richard Law and Richard Willis and part w^th the sea. The East and South East part thereof bounded wholie with y^e low water marke upon y^e Severall Bayes, Poyntes, and Clifts at y^e sea side the South and South west part the said land and manner is alsoe bounded with the Sea in English Harbour to the low water marke observeing the severall turnings and windings of the said Harbor and Creeke thereunto belongeing and from the Head of the Eastmost Creeke through the Vallie to the adjacent round Hill next to Cobb’s Crosse Cove. And from thence to the sea in Falm^o Harbor, Together with all y^e Ponds Creekes Coves inlets waters, watercourses. Houses, Edifices buildings Orchards lands meadows Leasowes Pastures Commons Sugar Mills Timber and Timber Trees woods and underwoods Advowsons reversions rents Securitties, wrecks, wafes, Estrayes Royaltties Liberties Privileges Jurisdictions, hereditaments Together w^th all other Rights, Privileges, and power by Law warranted or allowed to any Royaltie or Maner whatsoever saving onely and excepted to His Maj^tie his Heires and Successors all Mines and Mineralls of Gould and Silver which shall ly or be within the said Manor or the lands thereunto belongeinge or appertainge. To have and to Hold the said Manor lands tenements and all the premises in fee simple to him the said Coll Phillip Warner his heires and Assignes for ever and of and in every part or Pall thereof w^th the appurtenances Royallties, Jurisdictions and Privileges heretofore in these Psents mentioned and expressed to bee and Inure and shall bee deemed adjudged Esteemed reputed and taken to bee and Inure to the onely use benefit and behoofe of the said Coll Phillip Warner his heires and assignes for ever. Yieldinge and payeinge therefore yearly for ever unto his Maj^tie his heires and successors a full growne Bore at or upon y^e Feast and Birth of our Lord Christ if lawfully demanded which payment shall be accepted reputed and taken in full satisfaction and discharge of all other rents services duties taxes or Impositions layed or to be layed by any Law authortie Custome or Usage Whatsoever. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and caused His Maj^tie’s Great Seal prepared and appoynted for this and the rest of the Leeward Islands to be hereunto affixed the 3^rd of November. In the one and Thirtieth Year of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles y^e Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c Anno Domi 1679.