The greater part of England was at that time in the possession of prince Louis, the dauphin of France, who had lauded with a French army at Sandwich, and was supported by the late king's rebellious barons in a claim to the throne. Pembroke was chosen guardian and protector of the young king and of tbe kingdom, and exerted himself with great zeal and success in driving out the French, and in bringing back the English to their antient allegiance.* He ottered pardon in the king's name to the disaffected barons for their past offences. He confirmed, in the name of the youthful sovereign, MAGN A CHAR T A and tbe CHARTA FORESTJE ; and as the great seal had been lost by king John, together with all his treasure, in the washes of Lincolnshire, the deeds of confirmation were sealed with the seal of the earl marshall.f He also extended the benefit of Magna Charta to Ireland, and commanded all the sheriffs to read it publicly at the county courts, and enforce its observance in every particular. Havhig thus exerted himself to remove the just complaints of the disaffected, he levied a considerable army, and having left the young king at Bristol, he proceeded to lay siege to the castle of Mountsorel in Leicestershire, which was in the possession of the French. Prince Louis bad, in the mean time, despatched an army of twenty thousand men, officered by six hundred knights, from London against the northern counties. These mercenaries » Matt. Par., p. 289, ad ann. 12] 5. Acta Rymeri, torn. i. p. 2] 6. f Heminyford, p. 565, 568. " Those liberties, distinctly reduced to writing, we send to you our faithful subjects, sealed with the seal of our faithful William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, the fruardian of us and our kingdom, because we have not as yet any seal." Acta Rymri, torn. i. part 1. p. 146, ed. 181«. Thomson, on Magna Chnrta, p. 117,130. All the charters and letters patent were sealed with the seal of the earl marshall, " Kectoris nostri et regni, co quod nondum sigitium kabwmus. Acta Rymeri, torn. i. p. 224, cd. 1704. s