The king of France that morning fair

He would a hunting ride :

To Artois forest prancing forth
In all his princelye pride.

To grace his sports a courtly train

Of gallant peers attend;

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And with their loud and cheerful cryes

The hills and valleys rend.

Through the deep forest swift they pass,

Through woods and thickets wild;

When down within a lonely dell

They found a new-born child;

All in a scarlet kercher lay'd

Of silk so fine and thin:

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A golden mantle wrapt him round,
Pinn'd with a silver pin.

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The sudden sight surpriz'd them all;

The courtiers gather'd round;

They look, they call, the mother seek;

No mother could be found.

Now, by the rood, king Pepin says,

This child is passing fair:

I wot he is of gentle blood ;

Perhaps some prince's heir.

Goe bear him home unto my court
With all the care ye may:
Let him be christen'd Valentine,
In honour of this day:

And look me out some cunning nurse;

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35

They look'd him out a cunning nurse;

And nurtur'd well was hee;

And now the early downe began

To shade his youthful chin;

When Valentine was dubb'd a knight,

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That he might glory win.

A boon, a boon, my gracious liege,

I beg a boon of thee!

The first adventure that befalls,

May be reserv'd for mee.

The first adventure shall be thine;

The king did smiling say.

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With beares he lives; with beares he feeds,

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And drinks the blood of men.

To

To more than savage strength he joins
A more than human skill:

For arms, ne cunning may suffice
His cruel rage to still:

Up then rose sir Valentine,

And claim'd that arduous deed.

Go forth and conquer, say'd the king,
And great shall be thy meed.

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His limbs were thick and strong; And dreadful was the knotted oak

He bare with him along.

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Soon