The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 31.

Vnseasonable discords betwixt King Baldwine and his mother; Her strength in yielding to her sonne.

UPon the departure of Emperour Conrade and K. Lewis,* 1.1 Noradine the Turk much prevailed in Palestine. Nor was he little advantaged by the discords betwixt Mille••ent Queen∣mother and the Nobility; thus occasioned: There was a No∣ble-man called Manasses, whom the Queen (governing all in her sonnes minority) made Constable of the Kingdome. This man unable to manage his own happinesse, grew so insolent that he could not go, but either spurning his equals, or trampling on his inferiours. No wonder then, if envy, the shadow of great∣nesse, waited upon him. The* 1.2 Nobility highly distasted him: but in all oppositions the Queens favour was his sanctuary; who to shew her own absolutenesse, and that her affection should not be controlled, nor that thrown down which she set up, still pre∣served the creature she had made.

His enemies perceiving him so fast rooted in her favour, and seeing they could not remove him from his foundation, sought to remove him with his foundation; instigating young King Baldwine against his mother, and especially against her favou∣rite. They complained how the State groaned under his inso∣lency; He was the bridge by which all offices must passe, and there pay toll; He alone sifted all matters, and then no wonder if much bran passed; He under pretence of opening the Queens eyes did lead her by the nose, captivating her judgement in stead of directing it; He like a by-gulf devoured her affe∣ction, which should flow to her children. They perswaded the King he was ripe for government, and needed none to hold his hand to hold the sceptre. Let him therefore either un tie or cut himself loose from this slavery, and not be in subjection to a subject.

Liberty needeth no hard-pressing on youth, a touch on that stamp maketh an impression on that waxen age. Young Bald∣wine is apprehensive of this motion, and prosecuteth the matter so eagerly, that at length he coopeth up this Manasses in a castle, and forceth him to abjure the Kingdome. Much stirre af∣terwards was betwixt him and his mother; till at last to end di∣visions, the Kingdome was divided betwixt them: She had the city of Jerusalem, and the land-locked part; he the maritime half of the land. But the widest throne is too narrow for two to

sit on together. He not content with this partition, marcheth fu∣riously to Jerusalem, there to besiege his mother, and to take all from her. Out of the city cometh† 1.3 Fulcher the good Patriarch, (his age was a patent for his boldnesse) and freely reproveth the King: Why should he go on in such an action wherein every step he stirred, his legs must needs grate and crash both against nature and religion? Did he thus requite his mothers care in stewarding the State, thus to affright her age, to take arms against her? Was it not her goodnesse to be content with a moyety, when the whole Kingdome in right belonged unto her?

But ambition had so inchanted Baldwine, that he was pene∣trable with no reasons which crossed his designes: so that by the advice of her friends she was content to resign up all, lest the Christian cause should suffer in these dissensions. She retired her self to† 1.4 Sebaste, and abridged her train from State to necessity. And now the lesse room she had to build upon, the higher she raised her soul with heavenly meditations; and lived as more private, so more pious till the day of her death.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1149
• * 1.2

  Tyrius, lib. 17. cap. 13.
• † 1.3

  Tyrius, lib. 17. cap. 14.
• † 1.4

  Idem, ibi∣dem.