David Abenatar Melo

David Abenatar Melo was born in Fronteira, Alentejo, Portugal, arrested by the Inquisition and tortured, later repenting at an auto-da-fé, during which other purported Judaizers were burned at the stake. After his release, Melo fled to Amsterdam in 1612 and openly adopted the Jewish faith. He also played a role in publishing various prayer books in Spanish, including one for the High Holy Days (1617), another for the Sabbath (1618), and a Haggadah (1622). In 1624, he moved to Glückstadt and a year later to Hamburg. There he published his only known work, a Spanish verse translation (or paraphrase) of the book of Psalms. In his introduction, Melo describes the sufferings he endured at the hands of the Inquisition. Likewise, allusions to his tribulations appear in the work itself.