KUNES-TORRES
240
NUPTIAL DEITIES
Machado, B'Miotheca Lusitana ; Vasconcellos, Noticia do Bntsil. — Iloefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, xxxviii, 363.
Nuiies-Torres, David, a threat Talmiulical schol- ar, was born in the second lialt' of the 17th century, either at Lisbon or Amsterdam. In the last-named place he was for many j'ears president of the academies Abi Jethomim and Keter Sliem Tob. Towards the end of the year 1(590 he was called to the Hague as rabbi of the Portuguese congregation, which position he held until his death, which occurred in 1728. Be- sides some sermons which he published in 1G90 and 1G91, under the title Sermans de David Xtifles-Toi-res, Preyador de celebre irmandade de AM Jetomim (Amster- dam, Moses Dias, 5450, 5451), he edited the Hebrew Bible, witli the commentary of Kashi and the Vulgate (Amst. 1700, 4 vols.) : — the Shulchan A ruch of Jos. Karo (q. V.) in connection with Sal. Jeh. Leone (ibid. 1698) : — the npTriil Ti of Maimonides (q. v.), in 4 vols. (ibid. 1702). See' Fiirst, Bibl. Jiid. iii, 41 ; Wolf, Bibl. Hebr- iii, 201 ; xiv, 809 ; Jfemo?: d. Lit. Poiiiif/neza, iv, 327 ; Cataloyus lihroruin Rub. Dav. Nunes-Torres, varii ge- neris ef editionis (Hague, 1728) ; Kayserling in Frankel's Monatsschrift, 1864, p. 317 sq. (B". P.)
Nuiiez, Fernando, a noble Spanish Protestant,
was a descendant of the house of Guzman, and flour- ished in the early part of the 16th century. He sac- rificed his prospect of civil honors to the love of study, and privately engaged in a careful examination of the Protestant doctrines, which he finally embraced. Nuiiez was of the Order of St. Lago, and was commonly called among his countrymen " the Greek commentator" (Argensola, Anales de Aragon, p. 352). His notes on the classics are praised by Lipsius, Gronovius, and other critics, who usually cite him by the name of Pincianus of ValladoUd, his native city. That he did not con- fine his attention to ancient learning appears from his having published in 1502 an edition of the poems of his countryman, Juan de Mena, with notes. Cyprian de Valera quotes from a collection of Spanish proverbs published by him under the title of R'J'iaiies Espaiioles (^Dos Tratados, p. 288). Marineo extols the erudition of Nunez as far superior to that of Lebrixa ; but, in the first place, he expresses this opinion in a letter to the object of his panegyric ; and, in the second place, he had been involved in a quarrel with Lebrixa, in which his countryman, Peter Martyr, was not disposed to take his part (^Mattyris Epist. ep. xxxv). In the edition of the Bible, in various languages, perfected by cardinal Ximenes, in imitation of Origen's enterprise, Nunez was given a part, and he discharged his duties with great credit. Indeed, Nunez was reputed in his time the best Spanish Orientalist. It is said that in 1535, when an enthusiastic scholar visited Spain, he found Hebrew neglected, and could not meet with a single native ac- quainted with Arabic except the venerable Nunez, who still recollected the characters of a language to which he had paid some attention in his youth (see author- ities in M'Crie). The time of his death is not known to us. It must have occurred before 1560, for in that year we find his widow, with three of her daughters and a married sister, seized at Seville for heresy. Their tragic story is thus related by M'Crie : " As there was no evidence against them they were put to the torture, but refused to inform against one another. Upon this the presiding inquisitor called one of the young women into the audience-chamber, and after conversing with her for some time, professed an attachment to her per- son. Having repeated this at another interview, he told licr that he could be of no service to her unless she imparted to liim the whole facts of her case; but if she intrusted him with these, he would manage the affair in such a way as that she and all her friends should be set at liberty. Falling into the snare, the unsuspecting girl confessed to him that she had at different times conversed with her mother, sisters, and aunt on the Lutheran doctrines. The wretch immediately brought
her into court, and obliged her to declare judicially wliat she had owned to him in private. Nor was this all : under the pretence that her confession was not sutliciently ample and ingenuous, she was put to the torture by the most excruciating engines, the pulley and the wooden horse ; by which means evidence was extorted from her wliich led, not only to the condem- nation of herself and her relations, but also to the seiz- ure and conviction of others who afterwards perished in the flames." See M'Crie, Ref. in Sjmin, p. 64 sq., 67, 73,270. (J.H.W.)
Nuiiez, Juan, an old Spanish painter who flour- ished at Seville about 1505. He was a scholar of San- chez de Castro, and probably attained real eminence in his day; but most of his works have been destroyed. There is a picture by him in the cathedral of Seville, in an excellent state of preservation, representing 77(6 Bod;/ of Christ in the arms of the Virgin, with St. Jlichael, St. Vincent, and other figures. This work is in the stiff Gothic style prevalent at that time; but it deserves praise for its rich and beautiful draperies. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, ii, 623.