adopted.

Without loss of time Almeric de Clisson issued forth from the great gate
of Hennebon, accompanied by 300 men-at-arms and 1000 archers. The latter
took post at once along the edge of the ditches. The men-at-arms rode
straight for the enemy's camp, which was undefended, the whole army
being within their tents at dinner. Dashing into their midst the English
and Breton men-at-arms began to overthrow the tents and spear all that
were in them. Not knowing the extent of the danger or the smallness of
the attacking force, the French knights sprang up from table, mounted,
and rode to encounter the assailants.

For some time these maintained their ground against all assaults until,
finding that the whole army was upon them, Almeric de Clisson gave order
for his troop to retire slowly upon the town. Fighting every step of the
ground and resisting obstinately the repeated onslaught of the French,
Clisson approached the gate. Here he was joined by the archers, who with
bent bows prepared to resist the advance of the French. As it appeared
that the garrison were prepared to give battle outside the walls, the
whole French army prepared to move against them.

In the meantime Sir Walter Manny, with 100 men-at-arms and 500 horse
archers, issued by a sally-port on the other side of the town, and with
all speed rode round to the rear of the French camp. There he found
none to oppose him save servants and camp-followers, and making his way
straight to the tent of Charles of Blois, where the two knights were
confined, he soon freed them from their bonds. They were mounted without
wasting a moment's time upon two spare horses, and turning again the
whole party rode back towards Hennebon, and had reached the postern gate
before the fugitives from the camp reached the French commanders and
told them what had happened.

Seeing that he was now too late, because of De Clisson's sortie, Charles
of Blois recalled his army from the attack, in which he could only have
suffered heavily from the arrows of the archers and the missiles from
the walls. The same day, he learned from some prisoners captured in the
sortie, of the undiminished spirit of the garrison, and that Hennebon
was amply supplied with provisions brought by sea. His own army was
becoming straitened by the scarcity of supplies in the country round,
he therefore determined at once to raise the siege, and to besiege some
place where he would encounter less serious resistance.