Chap. 43.
The short life, and wofull death of Baldwine the fifth an infant. Guy his father in law succeed∣eth him.
IT is a rare happinesse of the family of S. Laurence, Barons of Hoath in Ireland, that the heirs for 400 years toge∣ther alwayes have been of age before the death of their fa∣thers: For Minors have not onely baned families, but ruined realms. It is one of Gods threatnings; I will give children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them. With this rod God strook the Kingdome of Jerusalem thrice in fourty years; Baldwine the third, fourth, and fifth, being all under age; and this last but five years old. He was the posthumus sonne of William Marquesse of Montferrat, by Sibyll his wife, sister to Baldwine the fourth, daughter to King Almerick: She afterwards was married to Guy Earl of Joppa and Aske∣lon.
Now Reimund Earl of Tripoli challenged to be Protectour of this young King, by the virtue of an Act of the former King so assigning him. But Sibyll mother to this infant, to defeat Rei∣mund, first murdered all natural affection in her self, and then by poyson murdered her son; that so the Crown in her right might come to her husband Guy. This Baldwine reigned eight moneths, eight dayes, saith mistaken Munster: and some mistake more, who make him not to reign at all; cruel to wrong his me∣mory of his honour, whom his mother had robbed both of his life and Kingdome.
His death was concealed, till Guy his father in law had ob∣tained by large bribes to the Templars and Heraclius the Pa∣triarch, to be crowned King: One more ennobled with his de∣scent from the ancient family of the Lusignans in Poictou, then for any eminency in himself: His gifts were better then his endowments. Yet had he been more fortunate, he would have been accounted more virtuous; men commonly censu∣ring that the fault of the King, which is the fate of the King∣dome.