A.D. 1007.] TAKING OP NICE. 395 Possessa, also, was seized with a severe illness, of which he died. On another day, also, when all the princes were plying their engines with the greatest energy against the walls, count Herman, and Henry de Asche, Teutonic nobles, put together with much skill a curious machine, containing twenty horsemen, and pushed it up to the walls, but, such was the gallantry of the defenders, that the machine was com pletely crushed by a large stone from above, and those who were inside perished with it. The others, however, continued the siege without intermission, and by their repeated assaults did not allow the besieged a moment's rest. But a great impediment to the exertions of the army was a large lake adjoining the city, for the inhabitants by means of it enjoyed free communication, and introduced plenty of provisions, to the great detriment of the besiegers. To remedy this, they brought ships to the lake and placed armed men on board, by which means the supplies of the city were cut off. There was, also, a tower on the south-side of the "city higher and stronger than the others ; and when the Christians found every other means of taking it fail, they at length placed men to undermine it. In this way, they, after much labour, drew out all the stones from the foundations, replacing them with blocks of wood, which they afterwards set fire to : the blocks were consumed, and the tower fell with a horrid crash, trouhling, as an earthquake, the hearts of all who heard it, and terrifying the citizens by its fall. The army of the crusaders flew to arms at the signal, and with mutual exhortations prepared to march up into the city. I Of the taking of Nice, and the reward given by the emperor. The wife of Soliman, in despair at the fall of this tower, attempted to escape privately from the city across the lake, but our men, who had been placed in the ships to keep a look-out over the lake, took her prisoner and brought lier before the princes. With her were taken her two sons, still of tender years, and they were now placed in close custody with their mother. The illustrious duke Godfrey had taken notice of a certain Turk, who had slain many of our men with his arrows, and moreover abused the princes from the walls ; wherefore watching his opportunity, he shot him through the brain with an arrow, and the man fell dead from