Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/236

 Marshal  the confirmation of the ancient charters, Marshal was one of the three sureties that the king would satisfy their demands before Easter. In April Marshal and Stephen Langton, the archbishop, were John's envoys to the barons at Brackley, and endeavoured in vain to effect an agreement. When John found that he must at least simulate a readiness to yield, Marshal conveyed to the barons the overtures which led to the meeting at Runnymede (15 June). On this famous occasion Marshal was present as one of the royal representatives, and his name appears as one of the counsellors of Magna Carta, and as one of those who swore to observe its provisions. But he still continued faithful in his attendance on the king, and during the winter was sent to France to try and avert the threatened invasion by Louis (, p. 180). The embassy failed, and when, in the following May, Louis entered England, it was by Marshal's advice that John retreated before him. Marshal's eldest son sided with Louis, for whom he captured Worcester in July; the earl is said to have given his son timely warning of the approach of the Earl of Chester. But his paternal affection did not interfere further with his general attitude of loyalty, and when John died, on 19 Oct. 1216, Marshal was one of the executors of the king's will.

Marshal was present when the young king Henry was crowned at Gloucester on 28 0ct., and, as there was no royal seal, issued the necessary letters under his own seal. A council of the principal members of the royalist party was held at BristolGloucester [sic] on 11 Nov., when Marshal was formally chosen by the common consent to be ‘rector regis et regni,’ an office for which his age and position clearly marked him out. A later writer represents the earl as presenting the little king to the assembled barons, and pleading with them not to visit the sins of the father on the son, but to lend him their aid for the expulsion of Louis (, i. 257, Engl. Hist. Soc.) In point of fact Marshal seems to have accepted the office of regent with some reluctance, on the score of his own great age (Histoire, l. 15510), but once he had taken the duty upon him he discharged it with his wonted fidelity. Peter des Roches, bishop of Winchester, and Walo the legate were associated with him in the government, while Hubert de Burgh retained the office of justiciar. The latter title is sometimes claimed for Marshal, and he is actually so styled in a charter dated 13 Nov. 1216 (Cal. Rot Claus. i. 295); the designation may, however, be due to error. The first act of Marshal's government was to republish the Great Charter on 12 Nov. Under the circumstances of the new reign the constitutional clauses respecting taxation and the great council were wisely omitted, and some minor matters held in suspense. After Christmas a truce was made with Louis, and about the middle of January a council of Henry's supporters was held at Oxford. The truce was prolonged till 23 April, and during its continuance many of Louis' supporters, and among them the regent's son, returned to their allegiance. On the conclusion of the truce Marshal sent the Earl of Chester to besiege Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, while he himself assembled an army for the relief of Lincoln Castle, which was besieged by the French and insurgent barons. The host mustered on 15 May at Newark, whence, two days later, they advanced towards Lincoln. On 20 May, while Marshal with his knights attacked the north gate, Falkes de Breauté obtained entrance to the castle. Then the earl forced his way into the town, and the barons, taken in front and in rear, were forced to surrender. But the French, under the Count of Perche, would not yield until Marshal had slain their leader with his own hand. Without waiting to refresh himself after the fight, the earl rode back to the king at Newark with the news of his victory (Ann. Mon. iv. 25). After sending his nephew, John Marshal [q. v.], to take measures for the interception of the French fleet that was coming to Louis' aid, Marshal marched south to blockade London. Hubert's naval victory over Eustace the Monk on 24 Aug. inclined Louis to peace. So the French prince sent Robert de Dreux on 28 Aug. to the regent at Rochester. An interview between Louis and Marshal was held at Kingston, which, after some negotiation, resulted in the treaty of Lambeth on 11 Sept. (Hist. des Ducs de Normandie, pp. 202-4; Fœdera, i. 148). In the conclusion of this treaty Marshal displayed a wise forbearance towards his English opponents, and made himself personally responsible to Louis for the payment of ten thousand marks (cf., i. 7; Cal. Rot. Claus. i. 369 b, 384). The peace was followed on 6 Nov. by a reissue of the Great Charter, which now assumed its final form; at the same time the charter of the forests was first published. There were still some recalcitrant barons from whom homage had to be exacted, and early in 1218 Marshal himself besieged one of them, Robert de Gaugirecalcitrants. In the autumn Marshal had to fight with Morgan Caerleon, and in early 1218 he beseiged Robert de Gaugi [sic], at Newark. But as a whole the kingdom was settling down into good order under Marshal's strong rule, while the position of the young king was secured by a provision that no deed which implied 