Editing Second Anglo-Dutch War (section)

===Europe; 1667===

By early 1667, lack of funds meant much of the Royal Navy was laid up at the naval base of [[Chatham, England|Chatham]]. Only a small "Flying Fleet" was operational, leaving English merchant shipping vulnerable to Dutch attack.{{sfn|Wilson|2012|p=139}} Since Charles refused to make the concessions to Parliament which would allow him to continue the war, his only option was to initiate peace talks, which began in March at [[Breda]].{{sfn|Davenport|2004|p=121}} As England was also now at war with France, Charles sent envoys to Paris for unofficial preliminary talks.{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=206}}

[[Image:MedwayRaidMap.png|thumb|left|upright=1.40|[[Raid on the Medway]] of 9–14 June 1667]]

The deterioration of Franco-Dutch relations meant these talks produced a third option not considered by Clarendon: a secret alliance with France.{{sfn|Rodger|2004|p=76}} In April, Charles concluded his first secret treaty with Louis, stipulating England would not oppose a French conquest of the [[Spanish Netherlands]].{{sfn|Davenport|2004|p=122}} In May, the French invaded, starting the [[War of Devolution]].{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=206}} By stalling the talks at Breda, Charles hoped to gain concessions from the Dutch, using the French advance as leverage.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Aware of Charles's general intentions, although not of the secret treaty, de Witt decided to attempt to end the war with a single stroke. The Dutch navy had made a special study of amphibious operations, with the [[Dutch Marine Corps]] established in 1665. After the [[Four Days' Battle]], a marine contingent had been ready to land in Kent or Essex following a possible Dutch victory at sea. The Dutch fleet was, however, in 1666 unable to force a safe passage into the Thames as navigational buoys had been removed and a strong English squadron was ready to dispute their passage.{{sfn|Fox|2018|p=287}} With no English ships available to oppose a similar attack in 1667, de Witt planned to land marines at Chatham and destroy the ships there.{{sfn|Fox|2018|p=301}}

[[Image:The Dutch burn English ships during the expedition to Chatham (Raid on Medway, 1667)(Jan van Leyden, 1669).jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|''The Dutch burn English ships during the expedition to Chatham'', by [[Jan van Leyden (painter)|Jan van Leyden]]]]
In June, De Ruyter, with [[Cornelis de Witt]] supervising, launched the Dutch [[raid on the Medway]] at the mouth of the [[River Thames]]. After capturing the fort at [[Sheerness]], the Dutch fleet went on to break through the massive chain protecting the entrance to the Medway and, on the 13th, attacked the laid up English fleet.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The raid had a substantial impact on English public opinion and remains one of the biggest disasters in Royal Navy history.{{sfn|Boxer|1974|p=39}} Fifteen smaller ships were either destroyed or sunk as [[blockships]] by the English, with another three major warships burnt, ''Royal Oak'', ''Loyal London'' and ''Royal James''. {{HMS|Royal Charles|1660|6}}, was taken to the Netherlands as a trophy, although the Dutch failed to inflict substantial damage on the Chatham dockyards.{{sfn|Fox|2018|p=302}} In response, Clarendon ordered his envoys at Breda to agree terms without further delay, as Charles feared open revolt.{{sfn|Hutton|1989|p=253}}