been lifting the goods of subjects of the King of Portugal. The first
mention of the affair in the _Boston News-Letter_ was in the issue for
the week of May 15, 1704:

"Arrived at Marblehead, Captain Quelch in the Brigantine that Captain
Plowman went out in. Is said to come from New Spain and have made a
good Voyage."

Quelch was a good deal more of a man than Captain Kidd who skulked
homeward, hiding his treasure, parleying with Governor Bellomont at
long range, afraid to come to close quarters. A strutting, swaggering,
villain was John Quelch, daring to beard the lion in his den, trusting
to his ability to deceive with the authorities. To have run away with
a privateer, thrown the captain overboard, filled the hold with loot,
and then sailed back to Marblehead was no ordinary achievement.
However, this truly artistic piracy was so coldly welcomed that a week
after his arrival had been chronicled, he was in jail and the following
proclamation issued:

"By the Honourable THOMAS POVEY, Esq., Lieut. Governour and Commander
in Chief, for the time being, of Her Majesties Province of the
Massachusetts Bay in New England.

A PROCLAMATION

Whereas, John Quelch, late Commander of the Brigantine _Charles_ and
Company to her belonging, Viz, John Lambert, John Miller, John
Clifford, John Dorothy, James Parrot, Charles James, William Whiting,
John Pitman, John Templeton, Benjamin Perkins, William Wiles, Richard
Lawrance, Erasmus Peterson, John King, Charles King, Isaac Johnson,
Nicholas Lawson, Daniel Chevalle, John Way, Thomas Farrington, Matthew
Primer, Anthony Holding, William Raynor, John Quittance, John Harwood,
William Jones, Denis Carter, Nicholas Richardson, James Austin, James
Pattison, Joseph Hutnot, George Pierse, George Norton, Gabriel Davis,
John Breck, John Carter, Paul Giddens, Nicholas Dunbar, Richard
Thurbar, Daniel Chuly, and others; Have lately imported a considerable
quantity of Gold dust, and some Bar and Coin'd Gold, which they are
Violently suspected to have gotten and obtained by Felony and Piracy
from some of Her Majesties Friends and Allies, and have Imported and
Shared the same among themselves without any Adjudication or
Condemnation thereof to be lawful Prizes; The said Commander and some
others being apprehended and in Custody, the rest are absconded and
fled from Justice.

"I have therefore thought fit, by and with the advice of Her Majesties
Council, strictly to Command and Require all