The xlvti Chapitre.
SAPHO WAS A mayden of Lesbia and of Mitelena, and ther is noo more knowne wherof she came. But, and we noote well hyr study and goode lemyng, we shall well iudge that she descendyd of ryghte honourable parenttes. A vyle and, as it were, a rusticall mynde scante shulde haue desyrede suche scyences. But all thoughe it is not knowne in what tyme she was, yet aswell hyr yonge age as also hyre competente shappe of body and hyr study in poese, whereby she ascendyde the harde pathe of Pamaso with dilygente labour, the Musys not agayne sayng therto, at the last was acceptyd to be crownede with the lawrell, so that in makynge of balettes, in touchynge the harpe strynge and in other musicall dites she had noo pere, whiche is vnto ryght studiouse men difficill and harde to attayne to. What shulde I more say? She came to suche perfectione in thies thynges afore rehersyde that in hyr memory was rasyde certeyn ymages lyke vnto hyr, of coper and brasse, and hyr name sett emongste the moste renomyde poetes, whiche surely is more laude to hyre then the diademe to sum kynges, or the bysshopps myters, or the conquerors lawrell braunches. But as in lyke wyse as in those happy thynges she is to be praysede, so is she to be blamyde for the fonde loue she was taken in. For, were it either by the personage or the gesture of a certeyn yonge man, whiche lytle or nothynge regardyde hyr, she was so occupyede with that intollerable pestylens, seynge that neither with hyr lamentable verses nor with hyr teares she coulde gett hys loue, that it was wonder. This not withstandynge, beynge oppressyde with thys rage, she fouwde a new maner of metre, whiche is called of hyr name the metre of Sapho vnto thys day. But what ar the Musys to be accusede for thys — all thoughe Antheon coulde with hys harpe moue the greate stoones of Ogyges, yet the yonge mans harte, though Sapho songe neuer so swete, wolde not be mouede to loue hyr agayne?