, ▁he ▁had ▁cust ody ▁of ▁William ▁of ▁Lanc aster , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁royal ist ▁side ▁at ▁Ro chester ▁in ▁ 1 2 1 5 . ▁Ran ulf ▁de ▁Bl on dev ille , ▁the ▁Earl ▁of ▁Ch ester , ▁attempted ▁to ▁secure ▁William ' s ▁freedom ▁but ▁was ▁re buff ed ▁by ▁Ma ul ay , ▁leading ▁the ▁ear l ▁to ▁threaten ▁to ▁depart ▁England ▁and ▁the ▁king ' s ▁cause ▁and ▁go ▁on ▁cr us ade . ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 2 1 7 ▁Ma ul ay ▁was ▁ordered ▁by ▁the ▁reg ent , ▁William ▁Marsh al , ▁to ▁surrender ▁control ▁of ▁Sher bor ne ▁Castle ▁and ▁Som erset ▁to ▁William ▁Long es pe e , ▁the ▁Earl ▁of ▁Sal is bury , ▁to ▁help ▁secure ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁Long es pe e ▁to ▁the ▁royal ▁cause . ▁But ▁Ma ul ay ▁refused ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 2 1 7 , ▁Ma ul ay ▁was ▁sum mon ed ▁to ▁the ▁royal ▁court ▁to ▁answer ▁charges ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁w aged ▁a ▁private ▁war ▁against ▁the ▁ear l ▁over ▁control ▁of ▁Som erset , ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁broken ▁a ▁tr uce ▁that ▁had ▁held ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁men . ▁The ▁dispute ▁was ▁finally ▁solved ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 2 1 8 ▁when ▁Ma ul ay ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁reg ent ▁as ▁cust od ian ▁of ▁Sher bor ne ▁Castle ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁Som erset . ▁Ma ul