File:Lute, by Tobias Stimmer.jpg

English: Tobias Stimmer woodcut engraving of a woman with a lute, circa 1570-1577. Part of a series of 10 prints from about 1575 that included the "lute, viol, guitar, positive organ, transverse flute, psaltery, cornett, 'clarion', base shawm, and 'pot lid and spoon.'"^[1] The New York Public Library has the only complete set of 10.

A rough transcription of the Blackletter textreads:

Homerus ziveisselt billicht wol
ob man von wenschen glauben soll
das sie die laute ersunden haben /
oder ob sie die Götter gaben.
Weils die gröst Kusnt ist / schönster thon/ 
und aller Instrument ein Kron/
und hat was himlisch lieblichfeit:
Drum schreibt er sie sei zubereit
Von Mercurio/ der dieselb 
hat rund dem himel gleich gewölbt: 
Auff das sie auch recht himlisch laute: 
Ke.n schönerer Bau ward nie erbaut

Which Google Translate rendered:

Homer doubts whether 
one should believe 
that they invented the lute /
or whether it was given by the gods.
Because it is the greatest art / most beautiful thing/ 
and every instrument a crown/ 
and has something heavenly lovely: 
That's why he writes it is ready
From Mercury, who arched it 
around like the sky: 
So that it also sounds really heavenly: 

No more beautiful building was ever built