"in his shirt against the Dutch is pressed. Often, dear Painter, have I sat and mused Why he should be on all adventures used. Whether his valour they so much admire, Or that for cowardice they all retire, As heaven in storms, they call, in gusts of state, On Monk and Parliament--yet both do hate. ... Ruyter, the while, that had our ocean curbed, Sailed now amongst our rivers undisturbed; Surveyed their crystal streams and banks so green, And beauties ere this never naked seen." His flags fly from the topmasts of his ships, but where is the enemy? "So up the stream the Belgic navy glides, And at Sheerness unloads its stormy sides." Chatham was but a few miles further up. "There our sick ships unrigged in summer lay, Like moulting fowl, a weak and easy prey, For whose strong bulk earth scarce could timber find, The ocean water, or the heavens wind. Those oaken giants of the ancient race, That ruled all seas, and did our channel grace; The conscious stag, though once the forest's dread, Flies to the wood, and hides his armless head. Ruyter forthwith a squadron doth untack; They sail securely through the river's track. An English pilot too (O, shame! O, sin!) Cheated of 's pay, was he that showed them in." The chain at Gillingham is broken, to the dismay of Monk, who "from the bank that dismal sight does view; Our feather gallants, who came down that day To be spectators safe of the new play, Leave him alone when first they hear the gun, (Cornbury,[131:1] the fleetest) and to London run. Our seamen, whom no danger's shape could fright, Unpaid, refuse to mount their ships for spite, Or to their fellows swim on board the Dutch, Who show the tempting metal in their clutch." Upnor Castle avails nought. "And Upnor's Castle's ill-deserted wall Now needful does for ammunition call." The _Royal Charles_ is captured before Monk's face. "That sacred Keel that had, as he, restored Its excited sovereign on its happy board, Now a cheap spoil and the mean victor's slave Taught the Dutch colours from its top to wave." Horrors accumulate. "Each doleful day still with fresh loss returns, The loyal _London_ now a third time burns, And the true _Royal Oak_ and _Royal James_, Allied in fate, increase with theirs her flames. Of all our navy none shall now survive, But that the ships themselves were taught to dive, And the kind river in its creek them hides. Freighting their pierced keels with oozy tides." The situation was indeed serious enough. One wiseacre in command in London declared his belief that the Tower was no longer "tenable." "And were not Ruyter's maw with ravage cloyed, Even London's ashes had been then destroyed." But the Dutch admiral returns the way he came.