Schwartz, Peter (in Latin Niger)

Schwartz, Peter (In Latin Niger),

a German theologian, was born early in the 15th century. His early history is unknown, except that he received a good education and entered the Order of St. Dominic. He traveled widely, and in every way endeavored to add to his knowledge of the laws and customs of the Jews. His knowledge of Hebrew was so great that in 1474 he carried on a discussion with several rabbis in that language at Ratisbon. At that time he was teaching at Wurzburg, but left to take charge of the College of Buda, in Hungary. He died in 1481. Many of the works of Niger are lost — indeed, but two important ones remain: Tractatus ad Judoeorum Perfidiam Extirpandam Confectus (Essling, 1477, fol.; transl, into German under the title Stella Messioe [ibid. 1477, 4to]): — Clypeus Thomistarum (Venice, 1482, fol.).