TIMUR BEG. 
83 
ed speedy destruction to the houses, and soon opened 
a practicable breach. The garrison, moreover, being 
reduced to great extremity from want of water, all 
the inhabitants were dismissed from the fortress but 
such as were able to defend the works. The gover- 
nor still continuing obstinate, seven of the besiegers 
mounting one of the arches upon which the fort was 
erected, reached the bottom of the wall. Being follow- 
ed by two officers, they began to sap the foundation, 
and soon made such progress, that the besieged, appre- 
hending the result, threw down their arms and in- 
sisted upon being permitted to depart. Some flung 
themselves from the battlements rather than fall alive 
into the enemy’s hands. 
Messer, now reduced to the last extremity, once 
more sent his mother to supplicate the conqueror’s 
mercy. This was again promised, provided the ob- 
ject for whom it was implored would appear before 
the emperor and ask forgiveness on his knees. This 
he consented to do ; but such was his irresolution, 
arising from a dread of Timur’s known severity, that 
he would still have continued his defence of the place, 
had not the Turks under his command positively 
refused to offer further resistance. So great and so 
universal was the panic among them, that his domes- 
tics quitted him, and some even cast themselves from 
the walls. 
Seeing that all further resistance was vain, Messer tied 
a handkerchief round his neck, in token of the most 
perfect abjection, and, with his sword pointed towards 
the ground, quitted the fortress and appeared in the 
presence of his victorious foe. Through the intercession 
