In consequence of this determination, when Yusury drew out his army at a place named Serūs, I gave orders for my troops to remain on the defensive, till the enemy should have expended their fury, and exhausted their strength, when we should in our turn attack them. The next day I reviewed the troops of Subz, and having given them my own standard, ordered them to advance against the enemy; they accordingly did so, and skirmished with them. When Khizer Yusury saw my standard, he thought I was in the first line, and made a vigorous charge on it; the ground was warmly disputed by both parties, sometimes retreating, sometimes advancing, greatly fatiguing and wounding each other. During this time I was in the rear of the battle, and when I thought that the enemy were sufficiently exhausted, I ordered the trumpets to sound, and with my fresh troops made a vigorous charge, they were not able to withstand this attack, and took to flight. When intelligence of this event was carried to Bāyezyd Jelayr, the governor of Samerkund, he immediately mounted the throne, and assumed the state of an absolute Prince, and being no longer jealous of me, he wrote me a letter, and again heated the chain of friendship. Hajy Berlās, who was also jealous of Yusury, being now satisfied, went and assumed the command of his own tribe. But notwithstanding all these circumstances, Bāyezyd and Berlās continued to intrigue against me, and entered into a private treaty, stating that as long as Timūr lived, they should consider peace and tranquillity impossible, and that they should therefore do every thing in their power to annihilate him. In order to carry into effect this treacherous and cunning plan, they wrote me a joint letter, proposing that “we three should divide the kingdom of Maveralnaher in a brotherly manner; that whatever chief should quietly submit to us, we should treat him with kindness, but that whoever should oppose us, must be eradicated:” they also made several other advances to me of pretended friendship, with the intention of deceiving me. Some time after this, Bāyezyd came out of Samerkund, and having joined Berlās, they encamped in the vicinity of Kesh, and made a great entertainment. ----- Footnote 53: The Muhammedans reckon the commencement of the day from Sun-set. CHAPTER IX. The scheme which Hajy Berlās and Bāyezyd Jelayr had laid for me was this; that having joined their forces, and encamped in the plains of Kesh, they should give out that they were going to invade Khujend, they were then to inveigle me to the camp, and having murdered me, take possession of the district of Subz. In consequence of this arrangement, they sent me a letter, stating, “that as they had resolved to subdue the country of Khujend, if I would join in this enterprize, it would be very advantageous to all.”