Mauburne or Momboir, Jean

Mauburne Or Momboir, Jean an ascetic Belgian author, was born at Brussels about 1460. After having studied grammar and music at the cathedral school of Utrecht, he joined the regular canons of Mont-Saint-Agnss, a famous monastery near Zwoll, and was employed in different positions in the congregation of Windesham. The publication of his first work, Rosetum Spirituale, gave Mauburne great renown, and induced Nicholas de Hacqueville, first president of the Parliament of Paris, to invite him to France (1497), to reform the regular canons of the kingdom. Mauburne gladly heeded the call, and restored order to the abbeys of Saint-Severin, of Cysoing, of Saint-Euvert d'Orleans, and of Saint-Martin de Nevers; but he attached himself more particularly to that of Livri, of which he was elected prior (Nov., 1500), then regular abbot by the resignation of Nicholas de Hacqueville in his favor (Jan., 1502). The zeal of Mauburne was not confined to his own order; he was interested in that of Benedict, and labored much for the reformation of the congregation of Chezal, which served as a model to the houses of Saint-Vanne and Saint-Maur. Taken ill in consequence of the fatigue caused by his religious labors, he was carried to Paris, and died there about the beginning of the year 1503. He included among his friends Saint Francois de Paule, Geoffroi de Boussard, chancellor of Notre-Dame of Paris; the bishop Louis Pinel, Pierre de Bruges, and probably Erasmus, who addressed several letters to him. His principal works are, Rosetum exercituum spiritualium et sacrarum meditationum (Bale. 1491, et al.). "This book," says Gence, "is the first where some passages of the Imitation have been introduced and given under the name of Kempis:" — Venatorium investigatorium sanctorum canonici ordinis, a historical manuscript which appears to be an abridgment of that of Buschius, and in which Mauburne again attributes to Kempis the book Qui sequitus me of the Imitation. We find in the ancient Gallia Christiana (t. vii, col. 281- 282) two letters addressed to this priest by Erasmus, and written at Paris. See Swurt, Athenae Belgicae, p. 447; Mastelyn, Necrol. Viridis Vallis, p. 121; Sander, Biblioth. Belgica; Gallia Christiana, 7:836-839; Moreri, Grand Dict. Hist. s.v.; Paquot, Memoires, vol. 3: — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.