CHAP. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

309

carried off in triumph from his corpse), but on thecontrary try to carry it to the galley; whereuponthe valiant Cassiere flung himself into the roaringwaves, taking care to hold the banner upright, fol-lowed by Yerdale and others of their knighthood,who rallied round to assist and with monstrousdanger struggled through that deep and stormytide for above one hundred yards, far out of theirdepth from the very first, none of them knowinghow to swim; nor if they did, could they or anyhave swum with their weighty armour, which theyhad no time to unbuckle, and they would havebeen instantly slain in attempting it; while wavesbeat there darkly, fearfully profound on the rocks,although another ledge on the bar showed suchboiling surf that day that no boat could possiblypass out or in; yet often dipping under water, butrising again, and never ceasing to keep the bannerup in the air, until they at length reached the barand got over it, where a boat laboured waitingthem; when what immensity of satisfaction, ofglory was theirs and eternity of honour, no needof saying. Generous young heroes, they neverceased through their no short after lives to be ex-amples of every knightly virtue; and both inturns, arrived to the supreme height of their pro-