Sibilla his sister was first married to one Willermus, Marquess of Mount Ferrat, by whom she had a son called also Balwinus. After him she was married to another husband, named Guido de Liziniaco, Earle of Joppe and of Ascalon. Upon this befell, that the foresaid Baldwin the Leper son of Amalricus, being thus feeble & infirm, as is said: called his nobles together with his mother & the Patriarch, declaring to them his inability, and by the consents of them, committed the under government of the City to Guido the husband of Sibilla his sister. But he being found insufficient or else not lucky in the governing thereof: the office was translated to another, named Raimundus Earle of Tripolis. In the mean time the Soldan with his Saracens mightily prevailed against the Christians, & overran the country of Palestine. In which mean time Baldwin the king departed. Whereby the kingdom fell next to Baldwinus the son of Sibilla by her first husband Willermus. The which Baldwinus being but five years old, was put to custody of Raimundus aforesaid. Who also in his minority, before he came to his crown, dyed: whereby the next succession by dissent fell to Sibilla, the wife of Guido above mentioned. To whom the piers and nobles joining together in counsel, offered to the said Sibilla as to the lawful heir to the crown, to be their Queen: with this condition, that she should sequester from her by solemn divorcement the foresaid Guido her husband. But she refused the kingdom offered to her on that condition:1 till at last, the Magistrates with the nobles in general granted unto her, & by their oaths confirmed the same, that whomsoever she would choose to be her husband, all they would take and obey as their king.2 Also Guido her husband with like petition among the rest, humbly requested her: that the kingdom not for his sake, or for his private loss, might be destitute of government. At length she with tears consenting to their entreaty was contented, and solemnly was crowned their Queen: who after the manner, again received their fidelity by their oath. Whereupon Guido without all hope both of wife and kingdom, departed home quietly to his own. This done, the Queen assembling her states and prelates together,3 entered talk with them about the choosing of the king, according to that which they had promised and sworn unto her:
Sibilla his sister was first maried to one Willermus, Marques of Moūt Ferrat, by whom she had a sonne called also Balwinus. After him she was maried to another husband, named Guido de Liziniaco, Earle of Ioppe and of Ascalon. Upon this befell, that the foresaid Baldwine the Leoper sonne of Amalricus, being thus feeble & infirme, as is sayd: called his nobles together with his mother & the Patriarche, declaring to thē his inability, and by the consentes of them, committed the vnder gouernement of the City to Guido the husband of Sibilla his sister. But he being found insufficiēt or els not lucky in ye gouerning thereof: the office was translated to another, named Raimundus Earle of Tripolis. In the meane time the Soldan with his Sarasins mightely preuayled agaynst the Christiās, & ouerran the countrey of Palestina. In which meane time Baldwine the king departed. Whereby the kingdome fell next to Baldwinus the sonne of Sibilla by her first husband Willermus. The which Baldwinus being but fiue yeares olde, was put to custody of Raimundus aforesayd. Who also in his minority, before he came to his crowne, dyed: whereby the next succession by dissent fell to Sibilla, the wife of Guido aboue mentioned. To whom the pieres and nobles ioyning together in coūsell, offred to the sayde Sibilla as to the lawfull heyre to the crowne, to be theyr Queene: with this condition, that she should sequester from her by solemne deuorsement the foresayd Guido her husband. But she refused the kingdōe offered to her on that condition:1 till at last, the Magistrats with the nobles ingenerall graunted vnto her, & by theyr othes confirmed the same, that whomesoeuer she woulde choose to be her husband, all they would take and obey as theyr king.2 Also Guido her husband with like petition among ye rest, humbly requested her: that the kingdom not for his sake, or for his priuate losse, might be destitute of gouernement. At length she with teares consenting to theyr entreaty was contented, and solemnely was crowned theyr Queene: who after the maner, agayne receiued theyr fidelity by theyr othe. Whereupon Guido without all hope both of wife and kingdome, departed home quietly to his owne. This done, the Queene assembling her states and prelates together,3 entred talke with thē about the choosing of the king, according to that which they had promised and sworne vnto her:
- 1A worthy example of a true wife to her husband.A worthie example of a true wife to her husband.
- 2A worthy example in Guido of a true subject to the common wealth.A worthy example in Guido of a true subiect to the common wealth.
- 3A singular example of prudence in a princes, and fidelity in a wife.A singular example of prudence in a princes, and fidelitie in a wife.
