Neg'inah, properly Neginath (rS'^S, neginath'), occurs in the title of Psa. Ixi, "to the chief musician upon Neginah." If the present reading be correct, the form of the word may be compared with that of Maha- lath (Psa. liii). But the Sept. {iv i'^roif) and Vulg. {in hyinnis) evidently read " Neginotli" in the plural, which occurs in the titles of five Psalms, and is perhaps the true reading. Whether the word be singular or plural, it is the general term by which all stringed in- struments are described (Smith). In the singular it has the derived sense of the music of striiit/ed instru- ments (1 Sam. xvi, 16 ; Isa. x.xxviii, 20) ; and of songs to he accompanied with stringed insti-mn^nts (Psa. Ixxvii, 7), especially a song of derision (Job xxx, 9). See Negi-
NOTH.
Neg'inoth (n5'^53, neginoth', songs with instru- mental accompaniment, see Negixaii; Sept. v^vot; Vulg. hymni) is found in the titles of Psa. iv, vi, liv, Iv, Ixvii, Ixxvi, and the margin of Hab. iii, 19 (text '•stringed instruments"), and there seems but little doubt that it is the general term denoting all stringed instruments whatsoever, whether played with the hand, like the harp and guitar, or with a plectrum. It thus includes all tliose instruments which in the A. V. are denoted by the special , terms " harp," " psaltery" or " viol," " sackbut," as well as bj- the general descriptions "stringed instruments" (Psa. cl, 4), "instruments of music" (1 Sam. xviii, G), or, as the margin gives it, "three-stringed instruments," and the "instrument of ten strings" (Psa. xxxiii, 2; xcii, 3; cxliv, 9). "The chief musician on Neginoth" was therefore the conductor of that portion of the Temple choir who played upon the stringed instruments, and who are mentioned in Psa. Ixviii, 2.T (CSSJ, nogenini). The root ("53= K-poi/fir) from which the word is derived occurs in 1 Sam. xvi, 16, 17, 18, 23; xviii, 10; xix, 9; Isa. xxxviii, 20, and a comparison of these passages confirms what has been saiil with regard to its meaning. The author of the Shilte Ilaggibborim, quoted by Kircher {Musurgla, i, 4, p. 48), describes the Neginoth as instruments of wood, long and round, pierced with several apertures, and hav- ing three strings of gut stretched across them, which were played with a bow of horsehair. It is extremely doubtful, however, whether the Hebrews were acipiaint- ed with anything so closely resembling the modern violin.— Smith. See JIusical I.ssTia'.MiiXTs; Psal.^is.
Nego. See Ani;i)-NK(;o.
Negombo, Negosi, and Nepindi are the names by which the African negroes of Congo, Angola, etc., designate three of their priests.
1. The Negombo is looked upon both as a priest and a prophet. He not only professes to foretell future events, but he ascribes to himself likewise an innate virtue of healing all manner of diseases. He is alw.nys sulliciently provided with a vast variety of meilicaments, the virtues whereof are so deeply imjiressed on the minds of the negroes that the failure of Negombo's prescrip- tions is always imputed to the patient.
2. The Negosi must take to himself eleven wives, and, as is usual among African trii)cs, he also acts the part of a magician. When any native meditates revenge upon an enemy, he applies to the Negosi, who cuts off some locks of his hair, and, binding them together throws them into the fire, utiering all the while various imprecations on the enemy, and all his possessions and kin.
3. The Nepindi styles himself master of the elements, and pretends to control thunder, lightning, and storms. To manifest his power, he raises large heaps of earth contiguous to his habitation. After he has linished the usual sacrifices and magical operations, a little animal, they say, creeps out from the foot of one of these, which raises itself by slow degrees, and at last takes its fiight towards the heavens. Then thick clouds darken the skies, and thunder, lightning, and rain immediately en- sues. See Cavazzi, Ittor. descrizione de Congo, etc.
Negores, a religious sect in Japan, which derives its origin from Cambodo.xi, a disciple of Xeaca. The sect consists of three classes. The first, who are less numerous than the others, devote themselves to the wor- ship of the gods and the performance of religious cere- monies; the second employ themselves in military af- fairs, and the third in the preparation of weapons of war. The Negores, as a body, are so numerous and in- fluential that the emperor finds it necessary to secure their favor. They are scrupulously careful about the lives of inferior animals, but their quarrels with each other often end in bloodslicd. See Gardner, Faiths of the World, ii, 524 ; Broughton, Bibliotheca Ilistor. Sacra, ii, s. V.
Negosi. See Ni<;gombo.
Negri (or Negro), Francesco, an Italian Re- former noted for his philological attainments, was born of a noble and ancient family in Bassano, in the Venetian territory, in 1500. Gifted with an active and penetrat- ing mind, he became an excellent .student. He entered the Order of Benedictines. The principles of the Ref- ormation preached in Germany and Switzerland pene- trating Italy at tliis time, Negri came forward as one of the first to adopt the new doctrines, and promptly aban- doning his order, he went to Germany, joined Zwingli, and accompanied the great Swiss Reformer to the con- ferences of Marburg in 1529, and assisted at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530. Negri defended with eloquence the famous I'rotc.Nt;int |.rot(»ioii of faith known under the name of the ('oiirr>>i.in >A .\u--ljufg. He afterwards re- turned to Italy ; lull that iiiiniiry offering no security to the preachers of the Reformed doctrines, he went back to Germany. He stopped some time at Strasburg. then at Geneva, and finally settled at Cbiavenna, a small village of the lirisons, where he married, and became the teach- er of a school. His small salary scarcely sufficed to sup- port his fatiiily. It appears that he attemjited to better his position by going again to (ieneva; but he was not more fortunate than before, and he returned to Chiaven- na, where he died some time posterior to 1559. In his last years Negri departed from the theological platform of his old teachers, Luther and Zwingli, and embraced Socinianism. We have of his works, Tiircicarnm re- rnm commentarius (Paris, 1538, 8vo), translated by Paul Giovo : — Rudimenta grammaticce, ex aiictoribus collecta (]\Iilan, 1541), reprinted under the title of Canones gram- matiaili's (Peschiaro, 1555, 8vo) -.—Ovidii .\fetamorphosis ill epilomcn J'hulencis rersibus redacta (Zurich, 1542; Basle, UAi) : — Tragadin de libera arbitnn ((ieneva, 1546, 4to, and 1550, with additions). This singular dramatic allegory upon one of the most disputed ipies- tions between the Catholics and the Reformers is rare and recherche; the denouement of the piece is the tri- umph of Justifying Grace over king Free-Will, who is beheaded, and over the pope, who is recognised as Anti- christ. The drama was translated into French under the title La tnigedie dit roi Franc-Arbitre (Ville- franchc [Geneva], 1559, 8vo). We also have of Ne- gri's works, De Fanini Farentini ac J)ominii-i Jiafsa- ?ten.iis morte, qui miper ob Christum in Italia liomani pontijicis jitssu impie occisi sunt, brevis historia (l^liia- venna, 1550, 8vo), one of his rarest and most curious books : — Historia Francisri Spiera- civitatulani qui quod susceptam semel Frangtlic(t reritatis pro/essionem abtie- gasset, in horrendum incidit desperationem (Tubingen, 1555, 8vo). See Roberti, Nofizie storico-critiche delta