irginia, according to the
directions of the said Act. And I do order and appoint this
proclamation to be published by the sheriffs at their respective
country houses, and by all ministers and readers in the several
churches and chapels throughout this colony.

Given at our Council-Chamber at Williamsburgh, this
24th day of November, 1718, in the fifth year of
his Majesty's reign.
GOD SAVE THE KING.
A. SPOTSWOOD.

The 17th of November, 1718, the lieutenant sailed from Kicquetan, in
James river in Virginia, and the 31st, in the evening, came to the mouth
of Okerecock inlet, where he got sight of the pirate. This expedition
was made with all imaginable secrecy, and the officer managed with all
the prudence that was necessary, stopping all boats and vessels he met
with in the river from going up, and thereby preventing any intelligence
from reaching Black-beard, and receiving at the same time an account
from them all of the place where the pirate was lurking. But
notwithstanding this caution, Black-beard had information of the design
from his Excellency of the province; and his secretary, Mr. Knight,
wrote him a letter particularly concerning it, intimating "that he had
sent him four of his men, which were all he could meet with in or about
town, and so bid him be upon his guard." These men belonged to
Black-beard, and were sent from Bath Town to Okerecock inlet, where the
sloop lay, which is about twenty leagues.

Black-beard had heard several reports, which happened not to be true,
and so gave the less credit to this advice; nor was he convinced till he
saw the sloops. Then it was time to put his vessel in a posture of
defense. He had no more than twenty-five men on board, though he gave
out to all the vessels he spoke with that he had forty. When he had
prepared for battle he sat down and spent the night in drinking with the
master of a trading sloop, who, it was thought, had more business with
Teach than he should have had.

Lieutenant Maynard came to an anchor, for the place being shoal, and the
channel intricate, there was no getting in where Teach lay that night;
but in the morning he weighed, and sent his boat ahead of the sloops to
sound, and coming within gun-shot of the pirate, received his fire;
whereupon Maynard hoisted the king's colors, and stood directly towards
him with the best way that