One of the most interesting stringed instruments of the middle ages is the _rotta_ (German, _rotte_; English, _rote_). It was sounded by twanging the strings, and also by the application of the bow. The first method was, of course, the elder one. There can hardly be a doubt that when the bow came into use it was applied to certain popular instruments which previously had been treated like the _cithara_ or the _psalterium_. The Hindus at the present day use their _suroda_ sometimes as a lute and sometimes as a fiddle. In some measure we do the same with the violin by playing occasionally _pizzicato_. The _rotta_ (shown p. 91) from the manuscript of St. Blasius is called in Gerbert’s work _cithara teutonica_, while the harp is called _cithara anglica_; from which it would appear that the former was regarded as pre-eminently a German instrument. Possibly its name may have been originally _chrotta_ and the continental nations may have adopted it from the Celtic races of the British isles, dropping the guttural sound. This hypothesis is, however, one of those which have been advanced by some musical historians without any satisfactory evidence. [Illustration] [Illustration] We engrave also another representation of David playing on the _rotta_, from a psalter of the seventh century in the British museum (Cott. Vesp. A. I). According to tradition, this psalter is one of the manuscripts which were sent by pope Gregory to St. Augustine. The instrument much resembles the lyre in the hand of the musician (see p. 22) who is supposed to be a Hebrew of the time of Joseph. In the _rotta_ the ancient Asiatic lyre is easily to be recognized. An illumination of king David playing the _rotta_ forms the frontispiece of a manuscript of the eighth century preserved in the cathedral library of Durham; and which is musically interesting inasmuch as it represents a _rotta_ of an oblong square shape like that just noticed and resembling the Welsh _crwth_. It has only five strings which the performer twangs with his fingers. Again, a very interesting representation (which we engrave) of the Psalmist with a kind of _rotta_ occurs in a manuscript of the tenth century, in the British museum (Vitellius F. XI.). The manuscript has been much injured by a fire in the year 1731, but Professor Westwood has succeeded, with great care, and with the aid of a magnifying glass, in making out the lines of the figure. As it has been ascertained that the psalter is written in the Irish semi-uncial character it is highly probable that the kind of _rotta_ represents the Irish _cionar cruit_, which was played by twanging the strings and also by the application of a bow. Unfortunately we possess no well-authenticated representation of the Welsh _crwth_ of an early period; otherwise we should in all probability find it played with the fingers, or with a plectrum. Venantius Fortunatus, an Italian who lived in the second half of the