MURMELLIUS, JOHANNES. - Dutch humanist, b. at Roermond in 1480, d. in Oct. 1517.
Around 1493 he was at the school of the Brethren of the Common Life in Deventer; in 1496 at the University of Cologne, whence he departed in 1500 as a licentiate in arts; then at Münster, co-rector of the Cathedral school, while continuing his studies, until obtaining the degree of master in 1501. Because of disagreements with the rector Krimner, in 1508 he accepted the office of rector at the school of St. Ludger at Münster. In 1513 he became rector of the school at Alkmaar (Netherlands), which prospered enormously. When in 1517 the city was plundered by the troops of Charles of Gelder,
M. fled to Zwolle, where he was rector of the school at Deventer in Sept. 1517.
M. was a true humanist. His ideal was to introduce the Latin language everywhere in all its purity. To this end he opposed medieval textbooks, such as the Doctrinale of Alessandro de Villa Dei, and published 25 manuals, including Opus de verborum compositione (1502), Ex elegiis Tibulli, Propertii et Ovidii selecti versus (1504), Euchiridion Scholasticon (1505). Several were still in use in the eighteenth century. Nine collections of poems in his hand are known today.