JOSEPH DUDLEY, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPTAIN QUELCH
From an original painting in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society
Within two days the assiduous Mr. Dudley had safely landed in Boston gaol Quelch, Lambert, Miller, Clifford, Dorothy, Parrot and Wiles. William Whiting lay on a sick bed at Marblehead and was likely to die. Two others were sick at Marblehead. James Austin was in gaol at Piscataqua (Portsmouth) and another pirate was in Salem gaol. On Friday, May 26, news from Newport, R. I., reached Boston that five of Quelch’s crew had bought a small decked boat and sailed the day before, it was supposed, for Long Island; but the news of the piracy arriving by an express from Boston about the time of their departure, one of the men had been seized and was being sent to Boston the constable of each intervening town delivering the prisoner to the constable of the next town and so on in like order.
Gov. Joseph Dudley having returned to Boston and not content with the proclamation issued by the Honourable Mr. Povey, issued a new one over his own name in which he included the name of Christopher Scudamore among the suspected pirates and also stated definitely that their gold and treasure had been taken from the subjects of the Crown of Portugal, “on whom they have also acted divers Villanous Murders.” All sheriffs were required to publish immediately the proclamation in the principal towns and cause it to be posted up in all other towns. A proclamation was also issued by Governor Cranston in Rhode Island. Soon Scudamore, Lawrence and Pimer were in custody and several parcels of gold dust were in the possession of the authorities.
The Governor was very keen to secure the gold dust brought in by Quelch and on the 6th of June he appointed a Commission of Inquiry consisting of Samuel Sewall, Acting Chief Justice of the Superior Court, Nathaniel Byfield, Judge of the Court of Admiralty, and Paul Dudley, Attorney-General, “to repair to Marblehead, & to send for and examine all persons of whom they shall have Information or just ground of suspition, do conceal and detain” gold and treasure brought in by the pirates, “either at Marblehead or parts adjacent, and to take what they shall find into their hands; as also to secure any of the Pirates.” The next day the Commission rode to Salem arriving there about eight o’clock in the evening and were informed by Samuel Wakefield, the water bailey,[82] of a rumor that Captain Larramore, in the “Larramore Galley” at Cape Ann, had turned rogue and several of Quelch’s company designed to go off in her. The Commission at once issued a warrant to Wakefield to go to Gloucester and investigate the matter and if true to seize the men. He got away from Salem about midnight. By this time about seventy ounces of gold and an equal weight of silver plate had been brought to the Council in Boston by different persons who had received it from Quelch or his men.
The next morning, June 8th, in a heavy rain, the Commission rode over to Marblehead and held a court before an open fire at Captain Brown’s house and there they spent the night. About six o’clock the next morning, before they were out of bed, an express arrived from Cape Ann bringing information of “9 or 11 Pirats, double arm’d, seen in a Lone-house there.” Colonel Legg of Marblehead, the colonel of the Essex South Regiment, was sent for and directed to order out at once companies for service at Cape Ann and like orders were sent to Colonel Wainwright at Ipswich, the colonel of the Essex North Regiment. Judge Sewall records in his diary that he incorporated in his letter to Colonel Wainwright, as a gentle prod to that estimable gentleman, the information “we were moving thither our selves to be Witness of his forwardness for Her Majesties Service.”
Judges Sewall and Byfield then rode over to Salem and Major Stephen Sewall, clerk of the Inferior Court, got a shallop, the “Trial,” and the pinnace belonging to Salem Fort and with about twenty men of his military company started for Cape Ann by water while Sewall and Byfield, escorted by a troop of horse, went overland. At Beverly, the local troop were starting and at Manchester the military company “was mustering upon the top of a Rock.” Excitement was rampant but there was no great anxiety to hunt pirates. Meanwhile Attorney-General Dudley and Colonel Legg had sailed for Gloucester direct from Marblehead and on arriving learned that Captain Larramore had already sailed and taken the pirates on board at the head of the Cape near Snake Island. Judge Sewall records what followed.
“When we came to Capt. Davis’s we waited Brother’s arrival with his Shallop Trial, and Pinnace: When they were come and had Din’d, Resolv’d to send after Larramore. Abbot was first pitch’d on as Captain. But matters went on heavily, ’twas difficult to get Men. Capt. Herrick pleaded earnestly his Troopers might be excus’d. At last Brother offer’d to goe himself: then Capt. Turner offer’d to goe, Lieut. Brisco, and many good Men; so that quickly made up Fourty two; though we knew not the exact number till came home, the hurry was so great, and vessel so small for 43. Men gave us three very handsom cheers; Row’d out of the Harbour after sun-set, for want of wind. Mr. Dudley return’d to Salem with Beverly Troop. Col. Byfield and I lodg’d at Cape Ann all night; Mr. White pray’d very well for the Expedition Evening and morning; as Mr. Chiever had done at Marblehead, whom we sent for to pray with us before we set out for Gloucester. We rose early, got to Salem quickly after Nine. Din’d with Sister, who was very thoughtfull what would become of her Husband. The Wickedness and despair of the company they pursued, their Great Guns and other war like Preparations, were a terror to her and to most of the Town; concluded they would not be taken without Blood. Comforted our selves and them as well as we could.”
Major Stephen Sewall with his company of volunteers in the shallop and pinnace followed the course of the “Larramore Galley” and reached the Isles of Shoals about seven o’clock the next morning where they sighted the galley as they approached. The men were “rank’d with their Arms on both sides the shallop in covert; only the four fishermen were in view.” As the expedition drew near they saw the boat belonging to the galley go ashore with six hands including three of the pirates, “which was a singular good Providence of God” as Judge Sewall piously commented afterwards. When the shallop approached nearer Larramore’s men at last saw the large number of men on board and “began to run to and fro and pull off the aprons from the Guns, and draw out the Tamkins [tampions], but when Major Sewall ordered his men to stand and show themselves ready to fight Larramore quickly abandoned all signs of resistance. Seven of the pirates were seized and with them over forty-five ounces of gold dust. The officers of the galley were also taken and with the galley in tow the expedition triumphantly returned to Salem “without striking a stroke or firing a gun.” While passing Gloucester, there being little wind, the men from the Cape were sent ashore at Eastern Point with the information that two of the pirates William Jones and Peter Roach, had mistaken their way and were still on the Cape. Strict search was immediately made by the town’s people and “being Strangers and destitute of all Succors they surrendered themselves and were sent to Salem Prison.”
Before the return of the expedition a warrant had been issued for the apprehension of Captain Larramore and the News-Letter of June 5-12 announces that two more of the pirates, Benjamin Perkins and John Templeton, were in custody and that “His Excellency intends to bring forward the Tryal of Quelch and Company now in Custody for Piracy within a few days.” This prompt decision was in keeping with the haste displayed thus far and boded ill for the looters of Portuguese treasure. Their ill-gotten spoil was reputed to be immense and much of it was likely to fall into the hands of the Court, in fact, a considerable weight of gold had already been secured making certain the distribution of handsome rewards and large fees to the informers and all officials concerned in their capture and prosecution. Twenty-five of the pirates were then in custody. The “Charles,” when she arrived at Marblehead had forty-three white men on board and of this number eighteen got away without capture.
