[63] The necessary expression of the genitive by _de_ is later than this. Mediaeval French retained the inflection of nouns, though in a dilapidated condition. Properly speaking _Renars_ is the nominative, _Renart_ the general inflected case. [64] This is a free translation of the last line of the original, which is as follows:-- Pour renard qui gelines tue, Qui a la rousse peau vestue, Qui a grand queue et quatre pies, N'est pas ce livre communies; Mais pour cellui qui a deux mains Dont il sont en ce siecle mains, Qui ont sous la chappe Faulx Semblant. Wolf, _Op. cit._ p. 5. The final allusion is to a personage of the _Roman de la Rose_. [65] Ed. Roquefort, vol. ii. See next chapter. [66] By Dr. W. Foerster. Heilbronn, 1882. CHAPTER VI. EARLY LYRICS. [Sidenote: Early and Later Lyrics.] The lyric poetry of the middle ages in France divides itself naturally into two periods, distinguished by very strongly marked characteristics. The end of the thirteenth century is the dividing point in this as in many other branches of literature. After that we get the extremely interesting, if artificial, forms of the Rondeau and Ballade, with their many varieties and congeners. With these we shall not busy ourselves in the present chapter. But the twelfth and thirteenth centuries are provided with a lyric growth, less perfect indeed in form than that which occupied French singers from Machault to Marot, but more spontaneous, fuller of individuality, variety, and vigour, and scarcely less abundant in amount. [Sidenote: Origins of Lyric.] [Sidenote: Romances and Pastourelles.]