The Saucy Castle itself still remained to be won. Knowing, however,
that for this nothing was likely to avail but a blockade, which was
now practically formed on two sides by his occupation of the island
fort and the Lesser Andely, Philip on the very next day set off to
make another attempt on Radepont, whence he had been driven away by
John a year before. This time John made no effort to dislodge him. It
was not worth while; the one thing that mattered now was Chateau
Gaillard. Thither Philip, after receiving the surrender of Radepont,
returned toward the end of September, 1203, to complete the blockade.
No second attempt to relieve it was possible. It may have been for the
purpose of endeavoring to collect fresh troops from the western
districts, which were as yet untouched by the war, that John about
this time visited his old county of Mortain, and even went as far as
Dol, which his soldiers had taken in the previous year. But his
military resources in Normandy were exhausted; the Marshal bluntly
advised him to give up the struggle. "Sire," said William, "you have
not enough friends; if you provoke your enemies to fight, you will
diminish your own force; and when a man provokes his enemies, it is
but just if they make him rue it.
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