Primary Sources:

'On Thursday the 13 Instant, About One of the Clock, taking again their advantage of the Wind and the Tide, they advanced with six men-of-war and five Fire-ships and came up towards Upnor-Castle, but were so warmly entertained by Major Scot, who commanded there, and on the other side by Sir Edward Spragg from the Battery at the Shoare, that after very much Dammage received by them in the shattering of their Ships, in sinking several of their Long Boats manned out of them, in the great Number of their Men kill'd and some Prisoners taken, they were at the last forced to retire, having in this attempt spent in vain two of their Fire-Ships which attempted the ROYAL OAKE but were forced off and burnt down without any effect; but a third had its effect, the two others coming also aboard the ROYALL JAMES and the LOYALL LONDON, which are much injured by the fire but in probability may be again made serviceable, having been sunk before their coming up, and the greater part of them laid under water.' (1)

June 14. Chatham. Jno. Clapham to Sam. Pepys.

The enemy is expected on the return of the tide. Yesterday the ROYAL JAMES, ROYAL OAK, and LONDON were fired. Saw all three flaming . . . The enemy have lost five or six fire-ships, either by sinking or in executing their employ, and, as conjectured, a considerable number of men by the service of Upnor Castle. [Adm. Paper.] (2)

Pictorial Sources:

In a topographical view of the attack, with a key, the ROYAL JAMES, Admiral of the White Flag, is marked 26, and depicted on the Upnor side opposite Chatham. She is the centre of the group of three west of the castle, with the ROYAL OAK to her east and the LOYAL LONDON to her west. (3)

Secondary Sources:

This plan was executed, with the ROTTERDAM grappling the LOYAL LONDON, with two other fireships following, one each setting the ROYAL OAK and ROYAL JAMES on fire. However, the LOYAL LONDON and ROYAL JAMES proved more resistant to fire than the ROYAL OAK, so the Dutch sent in two more fireships in the same way, one to each vessel. (4)

This vessel, or one of the other four fireships, may have been the 'Bottom of the Dutch fireship above Upnor Castle' valued at £5 in a letter to the Navy Board on 4 October 1669, although it had already been sold at auction on 22 September 1669 to a Mr Gould for £7. (4)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> 1765-, London Gazette, Thursday, June 13, to Monday, June 17, 1667, No.165 (Newspaper). SKE56185.

<2> Calendar of State Papers Domestic, Charles II, 1667, Vol.205, No.58 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6354.

<3> Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse, Tocht naar Chatham, 1667, print (Website). SKE56079.

<4> Rogers P G, 1970, The Dutch in the Medway (Bibliographic reference). SKE56188.