THE EOYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
13 
Then, according to the chronicler, did the English give way. In vain did 
their leader endeavour to hold them together—in vain he set an example of 
gallantry—he was carried away in the crowd, and the rout became general. 
The field of battle, with the baggage, the chest, the equipages, the artillery, 
and the provisions all fell into the hands of the garrison. 
Dejected by this reverse the English converted the siege into a blockade, 
which lasted till the beginning of April, 1424, when the Bretons, led by 
Guillaume de Montfort, Bishop of St Malo, dispersed or sunk the shipping 
and threw succour into the Mont. Repulsed by sea and land, the English 
had lost courage, but they did not cease to watch the fortress and look out 
for a chance of gaining it by surprise. They maintained troops in the 
neighbourhood at Genets and at Ardevon, where a fort ( bastille ) had been 
constructed: they rebuilt others at Servan and at Tanis where the blockade 
was still maintained, and frequent skirmishes took place between their forces 
and the garrison. 
“En ce temps ” says a contemporary historian, quoted by the Abbe, 
“Ceux de la garrison' dudit Mont saillaient souvent et presque tous les 
jours pour escarmoucher avec les Anglais et y fesait-on de belles armes. 
Messire Jean de la Haye, baron de Coulonces etait lors en un chateau du 
bas Maine, nomme Mayenne la Juhais, et allaient souvent de ses gens audit 
Mont St Michel et pareillement de ceux du Mont a Mayenne; dedit baron 
sceut la maniere et Tetat des Anglais et fit savoir a ceux du mont quhls 
saillissent un certain jour et livrassent grosse ercarmouclie au jour de vendredy 
et quhl y serait sans faute, et ainsi fut fait; car ledit de Coulonces partit de sa 
place avant le jour, aceompagne de ceux de sa garrison qui chevaucherent 
neuf a dix lieues, puis eux et leurs chevaux repurent assez legerement, et 
apres ils remonterent a cheval en venant tout droit vers la place des Anglais, 
et cependant ceux du Mont qui avaient bc A esperance que ledit baron 
viendrait, saillirent pour escarmoucher, et aussi firent les Anglais, et tonjours 
Eran^ais saillaient de leur place et aussi fesaient Anglais de leur part: tene¬ 
ment que de deux a trois cents repousserent les Eranqais jusque pres du 
Mont: et lors environ deux heures apres midi arriverent ledit baron de 
Coulonces et sa campagnee et se mit entre Ardevon et les Anglais tellement 
quhls eussent pu entrer en leur place pu.quTls n’eussent sans passer 
parmi les Erancais que avait ledit Coulonces. Einalement ceux du Mont et 
les autres Erancais chargerent a coup sur les dits Anglais, lesquels se 
defendirent vaillamment: mais ils ne purent resister et furent defaits et y en 
eut de deux cents a douze vingts de morts et de pris, et entre les autres 
y fut pris Messire Nicholas Burdet, Anglais : puis ledit baron de Coulonces 
et sa compagnee s'en retournerent joy eux en sa place de Mayenne la Juhais.” 
Here then we have a very distinct account of the last disaster of the 
English. They were taken in rear by the baron of Coulonces, surprised 
and routed. The time appears to have been not long subsequent to the latter 
end of April, 1424. They abandoned forthwith their bastilles of Ardevon, 
Servan, and Tanis, and another that they had near the bourg des Pas, 
and losing all hope of success, they retired leaving a garrison in the 
neighbouring Mont Tombelaine to annoy that of Mont Saint Michel. 
The gallant knights, says the Abbe, erected a monument of their victory. 
“ They placed at the entrance pte of the Mount two enormous pieces of 
