BEE 7110I, or BELFRY, was the name of a tower used in the military sieges of ancient and medheval times. When a town was to be besieged, a movable tower, as high as the walls, was brought near it: and this tower was the beffroi. Its use is more than anew spoken of by Cwsar in his account of his campaigns in Gaul. Froissart describes. with his usual spirit, a B. employed at the siege of the castle of Breteuil in 1356. At the siege of Jerusalem by the crusaders, a B. was carried in pieces, put together just beyond bow-shot, and then pushed on wheels to a proper position. The object of such towers was to cover the approach of troops. Sometimes they were pushed on by pressure, some times by capstans and ropes. The highest were on six or eight wheels, and had as many as twelve or fifteen stories or stages; but it was usual to limit the height to three or four stages. They were often covered with raw hides, to protect them from the flames of boiling grease and oil directed against them by the besieged; and there was a hinged draw-bridge at the top; down upon the parapet of the wall, to aid in landing. The lower stage frequently had a ram (see BArrEntsta RAM); while the others were crowded with archers. arbalisters, and stingers; or there were bowmen on all the stages except
the top, which had a storming or boarding party. During the wars under Charles I., the royalists made a B. to aid in the besieging of a town or castle in Herefordshire; it was higher than the defense-works, and was provided with loop-holes, a bridge, etc.; but the Roundheads captured it before it could be applied to use. Ducange thinks that the name of belfry (q.v.) given to a bell-tower, was derived from the warlike machine called the beffroi or belfry.
BEG, or BF:y, a Turkish title, rather vague in its import, and commonly given to superior military officers, ship-captains, and distinguished foreigners. More strictly, it applies to the governor of a small district, who bears a horse-tail as a sign of his rank. The governor of Tunis has this title.—" Beglerbeg," or, more correctly, Beilerhegi (" lord of lords"), is the title given to the governor of a province who bears three horse tails as his badge of honor, and has authority over several begs, agas, etc. This superior title belongs to the governors of Rumelia, Anatolia, and Syria.