| Summary : 1667 wreck of English ketch which was scuttled on the Mussel Bank as a blockship on 11 June 1667, during the Raid on the Medway (1584349), in the Second Anglo-Dutch War. She was part of the second group scuttled as reinforcements to those scuttled earlier that morning at the Mussel Bank, namely the CONSTANT JOHN (1033757), JOHN AND SARAH (1033759), and UNICORN (1033760). The second group comprised the BARBADOS MERCHANT (1033756), DOLPHIN (1033758), GOOD FORTUNE (1033761) and the HIND (1433212) as well as the EDWARD AND EVE. The Dutch moved her to force a gap in the line of blockships across the Mussel Bank, after which they were able to push through at the next flood tide. She was thereafter recovered and by August 1667 was in a condition to be fitted out once more.Constructed of wood, the EDWARD AND EVE was a vessel of probable mercantile origin, since she does not appear in standard lists of naval ships. She is likely, however, to have been included in the Navy by purchase, since she had a 'commander' and was extensively recorded in the Calendar of State Papers Domestic. |
More information : 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 . . . ' (1)
July 27.
Account by Thos. Edmundson of the dimensions of the sails belonging to the EDWARD AND EVE, Capt. John Langley, commander. [Adm. Paper.] (4)
Aug. 5. Chatham. Ph. Pett and two other Officers of the Dockyard to the Navy Com[missione]rs.
Think 150l. will make the EDWARD AND EVE ketch good, and restore her to the condition she was in when sunk. Suppose the furniture found wanting was taken away by the enemy, she not being wholly sunk when they came up. [Adm. Paper.] (5)
Aug. 14. Chatham Dock. Wm. Rand and John Brooke to the Navy Com[missione]rs .
. . . Are fitting the EDWARD AND EVE ketch . . . Particulars of works in progress. [Adm. Paper.] (6)
Secondary Sources:
The first group of ships sunk at the Mussel Bank were the CONSTANT JOHN, JOHN AND SARAH, and UNICORN, on the morning of Tuesday 11 June, despite the misgivings of Edward Gregory, Clerk of the Check at Chatham, who described it as an 'unadvised piece of worke'. On the recommendation of Lord Brouncker and Peter Pett, however, reinforcements were sunk at the Mussel Bank, namely the BARBADOS MERCHANT, DOLPHIN, EDWARD AND EVE, HIND, and FORTUNE.
The Dutch scouting party under Captain Thomas Tobiasz. arrived at the Mussel Bank later that day and spent time moving the ketch EDWARD AND EVE. By the time this was accomplished, the tide had ebbed, so the Dutch came to an anchor, but they had opened up a gap in the blockships.
As they withdrew from the Medway the Dutch set fire to the upper works of the ships across the Mussel Bank.
The Clerk of the Survey at Chatham sent a letter to Pepys on 17 August 1667 detailing the financial losses represented by the lost ships. He believed the EDWARD AND EVE, HIND, and FORTUNE to be recoverable, with an estimated cost of repairs of £500. (2)
NB: Presumably a mercantile vessel, since she does not appear in "Lists of Men-of-War 1650 - 1700: Part I, English Ships 1649 - 1702" or "Ships of the Royal Navy". She is also not included in the list of ships sunk at the Mussel Bank in "British Warships Losses in the Age of Sail 1650-1859". She was evidently, however, taken into the navy, presumably by purchase, since she had a "commander". (3)
Commanding Officer: Captain John Langley (4)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |