Answer:
The laud is a Spanish folk cittern. It has a flat soundboard and a flat back and has the basic shape of a teardrop. It is has 12 metal strings. Some laudes have a round soundhole (like a Spanish classical guitar) while others have two "f" holes and one or more small soundholes. I have seen teardrop as well as diamond shaped small soundholes--also I have seen lauds (spelled laudes in Spanish) with 4 small round soundholes.