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Lombards, and the Avares. All these heroes, whose powerful 
hands arrest the irruption of the barbarians, whose heavy lance 
shivers like glass the swift cavalry of Attila and of Abderamis, 
have preluded to these games by hunting the Urus in the dark 
forests of Austrasia. 
The chronicles of their time attest it. The Carlovingian heroes 
dwelt only at their hunting-seats, Heristal and Aix la Chapelle, in 
time of peace. 
The great emperor — so called because his foot was twelve inches 
Jong, and for this reason served his subjects as a line-measure, 
called the Jcing's-foot — the great emperor also loved the chase, as 
passionately as war. One of his whims was to have the beautiful 
Hildegarde accompany him. She was his favorite spouse, and 
planted her lance most gallantly in the tough neck of the wild 
bull. At other times the whole squadron of his daughters flies 
around him, lance in hand- — eight vigorous and comely riders, who 
have since served as types for the Bradamantes, the Marphisas, 
and the Clorindas, and whose grace, courage, and lightness the 
twins, poetry and music, have consecrated. The last hero of this 
glorious race died hunting, torn by a boar-tusk in the groin, like 
the beautiful Adonis. 
Hunters are the heroes that shine in the crusades, and who bring 
back to France the pheasant, the peacock, and falconry. Louis 
XL, that king of France who did most for the people, was also 
the first hunter of his time. If the high nobility, sustaining itself 
on the traitor Bourguignon, raised against him the war of the 
commonwealth, it is because the king wished to deprive that no- 
bility of their hunting privileges, so distressing to the laborer ; for 
where the lord has right, the beast and bird have right, according 
to the feudal code. 
Louis XL requested to be buried at Clery, in a copper tomb, in 
a hunter’s costume, his horn by his side — and the poetry of the 
chase owes him a requiem. 
Louis XII., Francis I., gallant heroes and troubadours — one of 
whom does not think cannon balls bold enough to touch a king of 
France, the other who wears out three swords in one battle — 
Louis XII. and Francis I. are hunters of high title. Historians 
