Primary Sources:

'Whitehall, June 16. The Dutch Fleet having the tenth Instant in the evening made themselves masters of Sheerness, on the eleventh they advanced up the River of Medway, and though with much difficulty passed by several Vessels which had been sunk about Musselbank, which was the narrowest part of it, the better to put some stop to them in their passing; and with 22 sail came up towards the Chain . . . Part of the Enemies Fleet hath since this Action continued about Muscle-Bank, where on Friday were seen 24 sail, on Saturday only 14 . . . ' (5)

Secondary Sources:

In June 1667, during the Second Dutch War, the Dutch fleet under de Ruyter and de Witt(e) sailed into the rivers Thames and Medway to attack the English fleet laid up in their own harbours. On 10-JUN they attacked the fort at Sheerness, driving off the garrison and landing troops. They advanced up the Medway to the protective chain across the river at Upnor. The CONSTANT JOHN was one of a number of fireships scuttled by the English in front of them in an attempt to block their passage. In the event, they caused the Dutch few problems and the upperworks were set on fire by them as they left. The remains were sold in OCT-1667. (1)

CONSTANT JOHN fireship, bought 1666, length 67 feet x 22 feet 6 inches beam, sunk to block the Medway in 1667. (2)

Sunk June 1667 as a blockship in the Medway. (3)

'Despite Spragge's doubts, the project was pursued . . .This he did because Peter Pett had assured him that in his opinion, and that of the two Masters of Attendance, three vessels sunk at the Mussel Bank would be sufficient to stop the advance of the Dutch . . .Captain Rand . . .was, however, subsequently ordered to leave the ROYAL CHARLES, and to supervise instead the sinking of three small vessels, previously intended for use as fireships, at the Mussel Bank. These vessels were the CONSTANT JOHN, the UNICORN, and the JOHN AND SARAH, and Rand successfully carried out this task during the morning of Tuesday 11th June.' (4)

Captain Rand was diverted from taking the ROYAL CHARLES higher up the river to supervise the sinking of three small vessels, originally intended for use as fireships, at the Mussel Bank. They were the CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN and JOHN AND SARAH. Edward Gregory, Clerk of the Check at Chatham, described the scuttling as 'an unadvised piece of worke'*, but was asked to return to the Mussel Bank with Lord Brouncker and Peter Pett, who recommended the sinking of more ships, namely the BARBADOS MERCHANT, DOLPHIN, EDWARD AND EVE, HIND, and FORTUNE.

*referenced in original to State Papers 46 (136), folio 604.

When the Dutch undertook a reconnaissance mission on Tuesday 11 June they found the English "busy at work sinking the CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN, and JOHN AND SARAH in the South Channel there".

As the Dutch withdrew, they burnt the upper works of the ships sunk at the Mussel Bank. The survey commissioned by Pepys from James Norman, Clerk of the Survey at Chatham, dated 17 August 1667 (Rawlinson MS A, 195, ff106-7), valued the DOLPHIN, CONSTANT JOHN, UNICORN, JOHN AND SARAH, and BARBADOS MERCHANT, at £4,100, on the grounds of being likely to be 'utterly lost'. The valuation of dockyard officials sent to the Navy Board on 4 October 1669 noted that the CONSTANT JOHN was 'not in a condition to be weighed' and therefore assigned no value to that ship. (6)

Purchased: 1666 (1)(2)(3)
Armament: 6 guns (1)(2)(3)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> British Warship losses in the Age of Sail 1650-1859 (Monograph). SKE6713.

<2> Larn, Richard and Bridget, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 2 : Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Kent (Mainland), Kent (Downs), Goodwin Sands, Thames (Bibliographic reference). SKE31910.

<3> Lists of Men of War 1650-1700 Part 1: English Sips 1649-1702 (Monograph). SKE6710.

<4> Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse (Website). SKE56079.

<5> Rogers P G, 1970, The Dutch in the Medway (Bibliographic reference). SKE56188.

<6> 1765-, London Gazette (Newspaper). SKE56185.