308 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book IV.

So Cassiere, who bore it, not a mere youth thoughyoung man (nor could have been appointed to apost of such trust, as standard bearer, had he notacquired military experience already somewhere;but truly had become a celebrated warrior in theservice of his native country, France, years beforethis Barbary exploit), he seeing the Christians inutter remediless rout resolved at first to fling himselfinto the sea with the banner, but on reflection thatboth it and his body would probably be soon thrownon the beach, determined to die where he wasvaliantly fighting to the last breath; but Yerdale(another knight, also a Frenchman) stood by him,and with incredible prowess they sustained thePaynim fury, from arquebusses to pikes, from pikesto swords, from swords to daggers, and when allthese failed that glorious couple, they had recourseto their fists and corporal strength. And strange tonarrate that the deaths they dealt, not only provedtheir own incomparable intrepidity, but partlysucceeded in holding back the savages for a mo-ment; of which Yerdale took advantage, and per-ceiving everything fallen into the very abyss ofdesperation, and promising Cassiere never to leavehim but aid him to the utmost, made him change hisdet ermination of dying on shore, like so many of theircompanions (which would be leaving the banner to be