BROOM AND WHIPLASH 315 



On the 1 2th, the wind being east-north-east, the 

 Dutch sailed with the tide about four miles up the 

 Medway, and made a severe attack. Before their 

 coming the English had sunk seven fire-ships, "and 

 enclosed the river with a thick and heavy iron chain, 

 running on pulleys, which turned on wheels. Six of their 

 ships, distributed in good order, lay before the chain ; 

 at the one end lay four, and at the other end two 

 stout frigates which crossed the water. This notwith- 

 standing, the Dutch, with more than mortal bold- 

 ness, made an attack against all these dangers." 



One English frigate was taken, another was burnt 

 by means of a fire-ship, then " the other four ships 

 were left by their comrades, the crews in confusion 

 sprang overboard, and our people took the Royal 

 Charles, fitted to bear 100 pieces of cannon, and with 

 32 guns on board. . . . Nothing more costly has been 

 made in England, and it must have cost almost 

 100,000 dollars in the gilding alone. They also 

 took the Charles v., with two others of the largest 

 ships, the Matthias and the Castle of Honingen, which 

 are burnt. The chain was burst into pieces, and all 

 within it destroyed and annihilated. . . . On land 

 our people did not do much, for all was in commotion, 

 and the English, with 12,000 men, came against them 

 in arms ; so the Dutch abandoned the places which 

 they had taken, and came again, with their ships, 

 into the Thames." 



In the main the Dutch account is correct ; but on 

 the English side it was declared that the chain was 

 easily forced, because it was merely fastened with cable- 

 yarn, and that, although the Royal Charles had only 



