The arrest and imprisonment of Henry Oldenburg

In the month of June, 1667, there was great alarm and disquiet in England at the turn of events in the war with Holland. Enemy fleets, Dutch and French, were off the coasts and outward-bound merchantmen put back for safety into the Thames and into Dover and Sandwich. All news of the English Fleet was censored. On June 7 the Dutch ships were off the North Foreland. The militia was armed and a chain-boom was constructed across the Medway above Gillingham to protect the warships anchored upstream. The Dutch set fire to houses and barns on Canvey Island. On June 11 Sheerness and the Isle of Sheppey were attacked and Sheerness was taken. Next day, disaster and a disgrace that is still remembered fell upon the Fleet. The chain-boom in the Medway was forced by the Dutch, who sailed up the river, burnt some of the finest vessels in the Fleet and captured theRoyal Charles , the largest ship in the Navy up to that time, fitted for 100 cannon and mounting 30 guns. The pride of the Navy was sent to Holland as a trophy. However, bad as affairs stood, further attempts by the Dutch on the ships in the Medway during the next two days were successfully beaten off.