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 the Empress; upon which they fought, and the merchant conquering, made the priest confess all his treasons.

The Emperor wrote about it to the King of France, and he was hanged.

OW Valentine was grown a lusty young man, and by the King as greatly beloved as if he had been his own child; commanding him to be taught the use of arms, in which he soon became so expert, that few in the court dared to encounter him; which made Hufray and Henry, the King's bastard sons, exceedingly envy him. At this juncture great complaints were made against the Wild Man, from whom no knight had escaped with his life that had encountered him; which made the King promise a thousand marks to any one that should bring him dead or alive; which offer none dared to accept; but Hufray and Henry desired King Pepin to send Valentine, with a view of getting rid of so powerful a rival in the King’s favour; but his Majesty seeing their malice, was very angry; telling them, he had rather lose the best baron in the land.

However. Valentine desired leave of his Majesty to go to the forest, resolving either to conquer the Wild man, or die in the attempt.