The sense wee have of the sufferings of Collo Phillipe Warner, our late governor by and for an action by which wee have received soe many advantages, and which the prayers of our inhabitants constrained him by ——— comission to undertake, hath highly obliged us to suplicate your honours, on his behalfe. Not that we doubt his being justly dealt with, and according to law, but to give your honors to understand that it was not by any designe or private concern of Collo Phillip Warner that carried on that warr and that action wherein it is said Indian Warner fell. But it was founded on the supplication of the inhabitants here, that for many yeares enjoyed little rest from the incursions of those Indians of Dominica and amongst them those of Warner’s family. Some crying for their husbands slaine with poisoned arrows, others for their children snatcht from them. Those and the such like were the common complaints here. Until by their humble addresse to our generall they obtained comission to goe under the command of Collo Warner who was not easily wrought upon to undertake it; but being highly importuned by all, he at length complied and by that action we have since enjoyed much peace and they have not dared to putt foot uppon our shoare, which we wholly attribute to God’s mercy towards us, but that action as the second cause. This wee humbly offer unto your honors fearing you may not otherwise be given to understand, what was the first cause that moved to that action, as will appear if all papers relating thereunto may be perused. We have not more to request from your honrs than to give your favourable constructions of the matter humbly take leave and subscribe ourselves your most humble servants,
Richard Boraston, &c. &c.
Falmo July ye 25th, 1676.
To ye Honble. his Maties. justices of Oyer and terminer appointed for the triall of Collo Phillip Warner in ye Island of Barbadoes
These humbly are sent.
It was not Col. Warner alone who was implicated in this affair, although he plays the most prominent part. Many of the offenders had their lands taken from them, until the issue of their trial was known; but Col. Warner and Lieut. Ffrye, of their own free will, delivered up their possessions, immediately upon their being charged with the crime already narrated, as may be learnt from the following passage extracted from an old record (speaking of those persons who had been dispossessed of their lands):—
“Excepted the lands of Collo Phillip Warner at the ffig tree, and at the Road being resigned up freely by himself. Also excepted the lands of Lieut. John Ffrye, lying and beinge in the body of this Island beinge resigned up freely by him.”
[[81]] Christopher Reynall.
[[82]] St. Christopher’s.