MURNER, moor'ner, Thomas, German satirist and opponent of the Reformation: b.
Strassburg, 24 Dec. 1475; d. about 1536. He studied at the principal universities of Europe, devoting himself particularly to theology and philosophy, and early gained a reputation for ability, marred however by a quarrelsome dis position. He led an unsteady life, preaching for some time at Frankfort-on-the-Main and other places, but incurring generally the dis pleasure of his congregations by the coarse per sonalities of his sermons, and was successively expelled from Freiburg Treve and Venice. He became one of the most virulent opponents of the Reformation. Some of his writings against the Reformation were burned by order of the Diet of Worms; and he was compelled to flee to Switzerland, whence he was in time like wise expelled. The latter part of his history is not known. In 1506 he had been crowned as poet laureate by the Emperor Maximilian; and his (Narrenbeschwi5rung) (1512), of which his Schelmenzunft' (1516) may be regarded as a continuation is one of the most remark able imitations of Sebastian Brant's celebrated satirical poem entitled He wrote logice,' etc. (1507), and
other Latin works; prepared a German version of Virgil and other translations; and was also regarded as the editor of 'Eulenspiegel.' But he is chiefly remembered by his writings against Luther and the Reformation. His most cele brated satirical work is entitled
dem grossen Lutherischen Narren' (1522; new ed., 1848). Consult Goedeke, (Murners Narren beschwilrung' (1879) ; Kawerau,