CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OF JEKUSALEM.

49

effects could be produced, of theirs, or ours. Ofthe flower of the Turkish troops, fell two thousand;of ours, of course much less in number, but farmore significant in reality. The knights alone weretwenty, among whom was the brother of ColonelMas, and a Portuguese knight of the celebratedfamily of De Britto, and a Frenchman of Choiseul. 1None of the whole score of deaths but showedsomething of striking heroism, or a placid devotion,or both. One, a French knight, having receiveda bullet that lodged in his chest, was assisted off byanother knight, for a little while, until the mortallywounded said, “ Now, my sweet Achilles, returnand combat valiantly for our faith.” And thenscrambling alone to the chapel of St. Elmo, reachedthe steps of the altar, and after recollecting himselffor some moments there, dropped dead. Of theirhired soldiery, about sixty privates were killed; for,of the wounded, no account was kept by any party,on either side. Only Bailiff Eguaras’ lieutenant,Don Juan de la Roche Pereira, a Castilian knight,was most dangerously wounded; to whom, thoughyoung, this high place had been given as a recom-pense for his practical valour; and, during thatmurderous contest, when the bailiff went out to tryto win back the ravelin, the entire command of1 Bosio : par. iii., lib. xxv. 542.

VOL. IV.

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