The Raid on the Medway, sometimes called the Battle of Medway or the Battle of Chatham, was a successful Dutch attack on the largest English naval ships, laid up in the dockyards of their main naval base Chatham, that took place in June 1667 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Dutch, under nominal command of Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, bombarded and captured Sheerness, went up the River Thames to Gravesend, then up the River Medway to Chatham, where they burnt three capital ships and ten lesser naval vessels and towed away the Unity and the Royal Charles, pride and normal flagship of the English fleet. It is generally considered the largest Dutch naval victory in history and the worst English naval defeat. The raid led to a quick end to the war and a favourable peace for the Dutch. The Royal Prince and other vessels at the Four Days Fight, 11–14 June 1666 by Abraham Storck depicts a battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... Chatham is an English town that developed around an important naval dockyard on the east bank of the River Medway to the east of London in the county of Kent. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius United Netherlands redirects here. ... Prince Rupert of the Rhine Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria (German: Ruprecht Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, Herzog von Bayern), commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, (17 December 1619 – 19 November 1682), soldier, inventor and amateur artist in mezzotint, was a younger son of Frederick V, Elector... George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle by Sir Peter Lely, painted 1665–1666. ... Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, Lieutenant-Admiral of the United Provinces by Ferdinand Bol, painted 1667 Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (24 March 1607 - 29 April 1676) is one of the most famous admirals in Dutch history. ... Cornelis, or Cornelius de Witt (1623-1672) was a Dutch statesman. ... The Royal Prince and other vessels at the Four Days Fight, 11–14 June 1666 by Abraham Storck depicts a battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... The Battle of Lowestoft, 13 June 1665, showing HMS Royal Charles and the Eendracht by Hendrik van Minderhout, painted c. ... Combatants Dutch Republic (supported by Norwegian fortress) England Commanders Dutch: Pieter de Bitter Norwegian: Claus von Ahlefeldt Sir Thomas Teddiman Casualties 100 Dutch casualties, 8 Norwegian casualties, 10 civilians 500 The Battle of VÃ¥gen was a naval battle between a Dutch merchant fleet and an English fleet of warships... Combatants England United Provinces Commanders George Monck,Duke of Albemarle Michiel de Ruyter Strength 79 ships 84 ships Casualties 10 English ships lost 4 Dutch ships lost The Four Days Battle was a naval battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... Chatham is a large English town that developed around an important naval dockyard on the east bank of the River Medway to the south-east of London in the county of Kent. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... The Royal Prince and other vessels at the Four Days Fight, 11–14 June 1666 by Abraham Storck depicts a battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, Lieutenant-Admiral of the United Provinces by Ferdinand Bol, painted 1667 Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (24 March 1607 - 29 April 1676) is one of the most famous admirals in Dutch history. ... Map sources for Sheerness at grid reference TQ919749 Sheerness is a town on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England. ... The Thames is a river flowing through southern England, and one of the major waterways in England. ... Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. ... Rivers in Kent, showing the Medway. ... The painting Dutch attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. ... A flagship is the ship used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships. ...

Prelude

English king Charles II's active fleet had already been reduced to accommodate the restrictions of recent expenditure with the "big ships" remaining laid up, so the Dutch seized their opportunity well. They had had earlier plans for such an attack in 1666 after the Four Days Battle but were prevented from carrying them out by their defeat in the St James's Day Battle. The mastermind behind the plan was the leading Dutch politician Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt. His brother Cornelis de Witt accompanied the fleet to supervise. Peace negotiations were already in progress at Breda since March, but Charles tried to procrastinate the signing of peace, hoping to improve his position through secret French assistance, so De Witt thought it best to end the war quickly with a clear Dutch victory, which of course might lead to more favourable terms. Most Dutch flag officers had strong doubts about the feasibility of an attack, fearing the treacherous shoals in the Thames estuary, but they obeyed orders nevertheless. The Dutch made use of two defected English pilots, one a dissenter (a "fanatic"), the other a smuggler having fled English justice. Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. ... 1666 is often called Annus Mirabilis. ... Combatants England United Provinces Commanders George Monck,Duke of Albemarle Michiel de Ruyter Strength 79 ships 84 ships Casualties 10 English ships lost 4 Dutch ships lost The Four Days Battle was a naval battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... The St James Day Battle, also known as the Battle of the North Foreland and the Battle of Orfordness, August 4 to August 5, 1666 was a naval battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, fought between the fleets of England and the United Provinces commanded by Admiral Michiel de... The Grand Pensionary (Dutch: raad(s)pensionaris) was the most important Dutch official during the time of the United Provinces. ... Johan de Witt (September 24, 1625, Dordrecht - August 20, 1672, The Hague) was a significant Dutch political figure. ... Cornelis, or Cornelius de Witt (1623-1672) was a Dutch statesman. ... Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. ... The term dissenter (from the Latin dissentire, to disagree), labels one who dissents or disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. ...

The Raid

Dutch Attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. 1667. The captured ship Royal Charles is right of center

Dutch Attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. ... Dutch Attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... The painting Dutch attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. ...

The Dutch approach

Late May the squadrons of the Admiralties of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and the Northern Quarter joined off the Dutch coast in the Schooneveld. Hearing that the squadrons of Frisia and Zealand weren't yet ready because of recruiting problems (impressment being forbidden in the Republic), De Ruyter departed for the Thames on 4 June (Old Style) with about sixty frigates or ships-of-the-line and twelve fireships, when the wind turned to the east. The Schooneveld is a shallow basin at the mouth of the Scheldt river, near the island of Walcheren, off the coast of the Netherlands. ... Look up Impressment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Old Style can refer to: Old Style and New Style dates, a shift from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar: in Britain in 1752, in Russia in 1918. ...

On 6 June a fog bank was blown away and revealed the Dutch task force, sailing into the mouth of the Thames. On 7 June Cornelis de Witt revealed his secret instructions from the States-General in the presence of all commanders. There were so many objections, while De Ruyter's only substantial contribution to the discussion was "bevelen zijn bevelen "("orders are orders"), that Cornelis, after retiring to his cabin late in the night, wrote in his daily report he didn't feel at all sure that he would be obeyed. The next day it transpired however that most officers were in for a bit of adventure; they had just given their professional opinion for the record so they could blame the politicians should the whole enterprise end in disaster. That day an attempt was made to capture a fleet of twenty English merchantmen seen higher up the Thames in the direction of London, but this failed. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... The word States-General, or Estates-General, refers in English to : the Etats-Généraux of France before the French Revolution the Staten-Generaal of the Netherlands. ...

The attack caught the English unawares. No serious preparations had been made for such an eventuality, although there had been ample warning from the extensive English spy network. Sir William Coventry declared that a Dutch landing was unlikely. There was no clear line of command with most responsible authorities giving hasty orders without bothering to coordinate them first. As a result there was much confusion. Charles didn't take matters into his own hands, deferring mostly to the opinion of others. English morale was low. Not having been paid for months or even years, most sailors and soldiers were less than enthusiastic to risk their lives. England had only a small army and the few available units were dispersed as Dutch intentions were unclear. This explains why no effective countermeasures were taken though it took the Dutch about five days to reach Chatham, slowly manoeuvring through the shoals, leaving the heavier vessels behind as a covering force. They could only advance in jumps when the tide was favourable. Sir William Coventry (c. ...

After raising the alarm on 6 June at Chatham Dockyard, Commissioner Peter Pett seems not to have taken any further action until 9 June when, late in the afternoon, a fleet of about thirty Dutch ships were sighted in the Thames off Sheerness. At this point the Commissioner immediately sought assistance from the Admiralty sending a pessimistic message to the Navy Board, lamenting the absence of Navy senior officials whose help and advice he believed he needed. The thirty ships were those of Van Ghent's squadron of frigates. Colonel and Lieutenant-Admiral Willem Joseph van Ghent, on the Agatha, was the real commander of the Dutch force and he had done all the operational planning. The Dutch fleet carried about a thousand marines (of the Dutch Marine Corps, the first to be specialised in amphibious operations), and landing parties were dispatched on Canvey Island in Essex and opposite on the Kent side at Sheerness. These men had strict orders not to plunder, as the Dutch wanted to shame the British whose troops had sacked Terschelling during Holmes's Bonfire in August 1666. Nevertheless the crew of captain Jan van Brakel couldn't control themselves. They were driven off by English militia and under threat of severe punishment when returning to the Dutch fleet. Van Brakel offered to lead the attack the next day to avoid the penalty. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway in Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, and thus requiring added defences. ... Peter Pett, Master Shipwright, and 2nd Resident Commissioner Pett of Chatham Dockyard, the son of the Kings Master Shipwright Captain Phineas Pett is most commonly famous for the incident concerning the protection of his scale models and drawings of the King’s Fleet during the Dutch invasion of... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... For the international law of the sea, see Admiralty law. ... France Marines is the name of a commune in the département of Val dOise, France. ... The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps is the marine corps of the Netherlands. ... Canvey Island (area 18. ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Map sources for Sheerness at grid reference TQ919749 Sheerness is a town on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England. ... Terschelling (Frisian: Skylge) is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands. ... Rear Admiral Jan van Brakel Jan van Brakel (16??–1690) was a Dutch Rear Admiral who distinguished himself on many occasions during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch wars and the Nine Years War. ...

Sir Edward Spragge, the famous Vice-Admiral, learned on 9 June that a Dutch raiding party had come ashore on the Isle of Grain (a peninsula where the river Medway in Kent, meets the River Thames). Musketeers from the Sheerness garrison opposite were sent to investigate. Sir Edward Spragge (circa 1629 - 11 August 1673) was an English admiral. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Grain church The Isle of Grain, (OE Greon meaning gravel) is in north Kent, England at the eastern end of the Hoo peninsula. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... For other uses of this term, see Musketeer (disambiguation). ...

The King only on 10 June instructed George Monck, Duke of Albemarle to go to Chatham to take charge of matters and ordered Prince Rupert to organise the defences at Woolwich a full three days later. June 10 is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle by Sir Peter Lely, painted 1665–1666. ... Prince Rupert of the Rhine Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria (German: Ruprecht Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, Herzog von Bayern), commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, (17 December 1619 – 19 November 1682), soldier, inventor and amateur artist in mezzotint, was a younger son of Frederick V, Elector... Woolwich is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. ...

As events progressed, two members of the Navy Board, Sir John Mennes and Lord Henry Brouncker, travelled to Chatham, followed on 11 June (Old Style) by the Duke of Albemarle. When Albemarle arrived he reported that he could find only twelve of the eight hundred dockyard men expected. Henry Brouncker, 3rd Viscount Brouncker (1627 - January 1687/88) was a Restoration-era courtier Henry Brouncker, 3rd Viscount Brouncker was the second son of William Brouncker, 1st Viscount Brouncker and Winifred Leigh; and the brother of William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker, who was President of the Royal Society. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ...

The attack

The Dutch fleet arrived at the Isle of Sheppey on 10 June, and launched an attack on the incomplete Sheerness Fort. Captain Jan van Brakel in Vrede, followed by two other men-of-war, sailed as close to the fort as possible to engage it with cannon fire. Sir Edward Spragge was in command of the ships at anchor in the Medway and those off Sheerness, but the only ship able to defend against the Dutch was the frigate Unity which was stationed off the fort. View towards Minster from Elmley Marshes The Isle of Sheppey is a small (36 square miles, 94 km²) island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some 38 miles (62km) to the east of central London. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Unity was supported by a number of ketches and fire ships at Garrison Point, and by the fort where sixteen guns had been hastily placed. Unity fired one broadside, but then, when attacked by a Dutch fireship, she withdrew up the Medway, followed by the English fireships and ketches. The Dutch fired on on the fort; two men were hit. It then transpired that no surgeon was available and most soldiers deserted. Seven remained but their position became untenable when some 800 Dutch marines landed about a mile away. With Sheerness thus lost, its guns being captured by the Dutch and the building blown up, Spragge sailed up river on his yacht the Henrietta, for Chatham. In that place now many officers were assembled: Spragge himself, later also Monck and several men of the admiralty board. All gave orders countermanding those of the others so that utter confusion reigned. Square Topsl Gaff Ketch Hawaiian Chieftain on San Francisco Bay A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: A main mast, and a mizzen mast abaft the main mast. ... This article is not about the fireboats that fight fire Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588-08-08 by Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg, painted 1796, depicts Drakes fire ship attack on the Spanish Armada. ...

Pett proposed that several big and smaller ships be sunk in Upnor Reach near Upnor Castle, presenting another barrier to the Dutch should they break through the chain at Gillingham. The defensive chain placed across the river had been lying practically nine feet (about 3 metres) under the water between its stages owing to its weight. It was tried to raise it by placing stages under it closer to the shore. River defences were hastily improvised with 'blockships' sunk, and the chain across the river was guarded by batteries. This way the large HMS Golden Phoenix and HMS House of Sweden (the former VOC - ships Gulden Phenix and Huis van Swieten) and HMS Welcome and HMS Leicester were lost. The smaller Constant John, Unicorn and John and Sarah were sunk to block the channel in front of the chain near the Musselbank; when this was shown to be insufficient they were joined by the Barbados Merchant, Dolphin, Edward and Eve, Hind and Fortune. To do so the men first intended for the warships to be protected were used, so the most valuable ships were basically without crews. The entrance to Upnor Castle Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort located in the village of Upnor, Kent, England. ... Gillingham is a town in Kent, England, forming part of the Medway conurbation; it is a constituent of Medway unitary authority. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

The next day, 11 June, the positions of Charles V and Matthias (former Dutch merchants Carolus Quintus and Geldersche Ruyter), just above the chain were adjusted to enable them to bring their broadsides to bear upon it. Monmouth was also moored above the chain, positioned so that she could bring her guns to bear on the space between Charles V and Matthias. The Marmaduke and the Norway Merchant were sunk off below the chain; the large Sancta Maria (former VOC-ship Slot van Honingen of 70 cannon) foundered while being moved for the same purpose. Meanwhile the first Dutch frigates to arrive had already begun to move away the Edward and Eve, clearing a channel by nightfall. June 11 is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The second HMS Monmouth was a 66-gun third-rate warship of the British Royal Navy, named for the town of Monmouth in Wales. ...

Van Ghent's squadron now advanced up the Medway on 12 June passing Upnor Castle with scant opposition and attacking any ships lying above that point; Unity was taken by Van Brakel by assault, the Sancta Maria, Mathias and Charles V burnt. The fireship Pro Patria broke through the chain (or sailed over it according to some historians, distrusting the more spectacular traditional version of events), the stages of which were soon after destroyed by Dutch engineers. Royal Charles, abandoned by its skeleton crew, was then captured and later carried off to the Netherlands. The jack was struck while a trumpeter played "Joan's placket is torn". Only the Monmouth escaped. Seeing the disaster Monck ordered all sixteen remaining warships further up to be sunk off to prevent them from being captured, making for a total of about thirty ships deliberately sunk by the English themselves. As Andrew Marvell satirised: is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Mens dress shirt with centre-front placket. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Of all our navy none should now survive,

But that the ships themselves were taught to dive

The following day, 13 June, the whole of the Thames side as far up as London was in a panic — some spread the rumour that the Dutch were in the process of transporting a French army from Dunkirk for a full-scale invasion — and many wealthy citizens fled the city, taking their most valuable possessions with them. The Dutch continued their advance into the Chatham docks. Some of the finest vessels in the navy, including the heavy Royal James, Loyal London and Royal Oak, already sunk to prevent capture, now perished by fire, when Dutch fire ships sailed into the dockyards under English fire from Upnor Castle. The English crews abandoned their half-flooded ships, mostly without a fight. The raid thus cost the English four of their remaining eight ships with more than 75 cannon. Three of the four largest "big ships" of the navy were lost. The remaining "big ship", Royal Sovereign (the former HMS Sovereign of the Seas rebuilt as a two-decker), was preserved due to its being at Portsmouth at the time. De Ruyter now joined Van Ghent's squadron in person. is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Seven (or eleven, depending on how one counts) vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Royal Oak. ... Sovereign of the Seas HMS Sovereign of the Seas was a 17th century British Royal Navy first-rate ship of the line of 100 guns, later known as just Sovereign and then Royal Sovereign. ...

Account by Samuel Pepys

The following day Samuel Pepys wrote of the capture of Royal Charles, "...which Pett should have carried up higher by our several orders, and deserves therefore to be hanged for not doing it." He later conceded that impression given him by naval captains that "...nothing but carelessness lost the Royal Charles, for they might have saved her ... if they ... had but boats, and that the want of boats plainly lost all the other ships." On the morning of 11 June the Royal Charles had been moved higher up the river with the help of a pilot but had remained exposed at her moorings for want of the boats and crews Pett needed to remove her, these having been sent on other tasks. Some shipwrights with their boats and crews were allocated to carry out the operation which was ordered by Pett and during the morning of 11 June, with Royal James taken up to a new position just above Upnor Castle. Samuel Pepys, FRS (23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

It was commonly understood that Charles himself was at fault for his failure to prepare the fleet. Pepys wrote "they did in open streets yesterday at Westminster, cry, 'A Parliament! a Parliament!'; and I do believe it will cost blood to answer for these miscarriages."

Pepys also comments on the morale of the English sailors: "[he] did hear many Englishmen aboard the Dutch ships speaking to one another in English, and that they did cry and say: We did heretofore fight for tickets; now we fight for pounds! and did ask how such and such a one did, and would commend themselves to them: which is a sad consideration".

Significantly upon the following day "Word was brought me that Commissioner Pett is brought to the Tower and there laid up close prisoner which puts me into a fright, lest they may do the same with us as they do with him. This puts me upon hastening what I am doing with my people, and collecting out of my papers our defence" (Pepys). Pett was bailed at £5,000 and deprived of his office whilst those who had ignored his earlier warnings quietly escaped any blame. Pett was thus compelled to defend his own actions and stood alone, discredited for the negligence of others. The Dutch Admiral De Ruyter had after all captured Sheerness Fort a full two days prior to his invasion of the Medway, before he broke through the heavy chain that was strung across the river representing its meagre outer defences. Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress The Tower of London, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically simply as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England on the north bank of the River Thames. ...

Pepys wrote "On 13 June, when Dutch frigates and sloops led the Fleet up the river, Upnor Castle was fired upon and the Castle batteries returned the ships' fire. The Dutch lost ten ships, but their advance was not halted and four English ships lying off Upnor Castle were sunk or burnt. The Dutch sailed on towards Rochester, where the inhabitants had fled into the countryside." Pepys visited the Castle on behalf of the Admiralty after the engagement and was forced to concede that the fort had been undergunned and -garrisoned. Pepys' entry about the ten Dutch ships lost was of course more inspired by hope than by facts: total Dutch losses during the whole raid were about fifty casualties - and no frigates or ships of the line at all. is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A sloop-rigged J-24 sailboat A sloop (From Dutch sloep) in sailing, is a vessel with a fore-and-aft rig. ... Rochester is a small town in Kent, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. ...

The Dutch withdraw

Deciding that the Dutch had displayed enough power, Michiel de Ruyter decided to forgo a further penetration and withdraw, towing the Royal Charles along as a war trophy. This decision saved the sunk off capital ships HMS Royal Katherine, Unicorn and St George. However on 14 June Dutch demolition teams rowed on boats to any ship they could reach to burn it down as much as they could. Now the English villages were plundered - by their own troops. The Dutch fleet, after celebrating by collectively thanking God for "a great victory in a just war in self-defence" tried to repeat its success by attacking several other ports on the English east coast but was repelled each time. After a month peace was signed. Pepys wrote on 29 July 1667: "Thus in all things, in wisdom, courage, force, knowledge of our own streams, and success, the Dutch have the best of us, and do end the war with victory on their side". HMS Royal Katherine was an 84-gun second-rate ship of the line, launched in 1664. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... July 29 is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ...

The Royal James, Oak and Loyal London were in the end salvaged and rebuilt, but with great cost; when London refused to share in it, Charles had the name of the latter ship changed into a simple London.

In a discreet place in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam the transom of the Royal Charles, with the Lion and Unicorn and the inscription Dieu et Mon Droit is still on display. The Rijksmuseum Rembrandt van Rijn: The Night Watch 1642 Johannes Vermeer: Milkmaid 1658-1660 Frans Hals: Portrait of a Young Couple The Rijksmuseum (IPA: ; Dutch for National Museum) is a national museum of the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam on the Museumplein. ... Transom (probably a corruption of Latin transtrum, a thwart, in a boat; equivalents are French traverse, croisillon, German Losholz) is the architectural term given to the horizontal lintel or beam which is framed across a window, dividing it into stages or heights. ... The Lion and the Unicorn are time-honoured symbols of the United Kingdom. ... Dieu et mon droit (French for God and my [birth] right) has generally been used as the motto of the British monarch since it was adopted by Henry V (1413-22). ...

Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling dedicated a poem to these events, giving a not altogether historically correct view of them (the poem was written approximately two centuries after the events): This article is about the British author. ...

If wars were won by feasting,

Or victory by song,

Or safety found, by sleeping sound

How England would be strong!

But honour and dominion

Are not maintained so,

They’re only got by sword and shot

And this the Dutchmen know!

The moneys that should feed us

You spend on your delight,

How can you then, have sailor-men

To aid you in your fight?

Our fish and cheese are rotten,

Which makes the scurvy grow –

We cannot serve you if we starve,:

And this the Dutchmen know!

Our ships in every harbour

Be neither whole nor sound,

And when we seek to mend a leak,

No Oakum can be found,

Or, if it is, the caulkers,

And carpenters also,

For lack of pay have gone away,

And this the Dutchmen know!

Mere powder, guns and bullets,

we scarce can get at all;

Their price was spent in merriment

And revel at Whitehall,

While we in tattered doublets

From ship to ship must row,

Beseeching friends for odds and ends –

And this the Dutchmen know!

No King will heed our warnings,

No Court will pay our claims –

Our King and Court for their disport

Do sell the very Thames!

For, now De Ruyter’s topsails

Off naked Chatham show,

We dare not meet him with our fleet –

And this the Dutchmen know!

External links

• The Dutch in the Medway - 1667