Des Périers, Bonaventure (c. 1510–c. 1544)

French writer and humanist. He is remembered for two works: his controversial Cymbalum Mundi (1537), a satirical attack on Christianity in the form of four allegorical dialogues, which was banned soon after publication, and Nouvelles récréations et joyeux devis, a collection of short stories providing a lively picture of 16th-century society, published posthumously in 1558.

He was born at Arnay-le-Duc and after collaborating with Olivetan on his translation of the Bible and with Dolet on the Commentarii Linguae Latinae, Des Périers became valet de chambre and secretary to Marguerite de Navarre, whom he assisted with the transcription of her Heptaméron.

He is believed to have committed suicide in 1544.