Books › The history of the violin, and other instruments played on with the bow from the remotest times to the present. Also, an account of the principal makers, English and foreign, with numerous illustrations, 1864 › scan 37
Scan 37
The history of the violin, and other instruments played on with the bow from the remotest times to the present. Also, an account of the principal makers, English and foreign, with numerous illustrations, 1864
24 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 25. See the scan on archive.org.
1retractu, sicut in viella aut rebella; sive cum impulsu vel impulsivo quodam tractu cum unguibus vel plectro, cum virgula, ut in cithara et guiterna, lituo, psalterio quoque et tympano, atque campanulis." In these passages he refers to the rota as a bowed instrument, and to the psalterion as not being bowed.
3Many examples may be given from the ancient poets and romance-writers to the same effect, of which we will cite a few, and they may also be taken to show the use of the instruments, the vielle, or viol, and the gighe; and to prove that the vielle, gighe, rote, psalterion, and symphonie, or chyfonie, and rubebe (rebec), were different instruments. In the Roman de Brut, about the end of the twelfth century, we find—
5"Lais de vieles et de rotes,
6Lais de harpes et de fretiaux,
7Lyres, tymbres, et chalumiaux,
8Symphonies, salterions,
9Monocordes, tymbres, corrons."
11In another part, relating the skill and talents of the celebrated king Blegabres (or Blæthgabreat, as he is called in the version of Lazamon), who flourished, according to Stow, 104 A.C., was the god of jongleurs and singers, and played on every instrument, he is thus described:—
13"Blegabres regna après li,
14Cil sot de nature de cant,
15Oncques nus n'en sot plus, ne tant.
16De tos estruments sot maistrie,
17Et de diverse canterie;
18Et mult sot de lais et de note,
19De vièle sot et de rote,
20De lire et de salterion,
21De harpe sot et de choron,
22De gighe sot, de symphonie.
23Si savoit assés d'armonie.
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