By Gary Macy

From the Journal of the Council of Trent, by Secretary Massarelli, March 3, 1546: “The Cardinal of Trent, Cristoforo Madruzzo, had great feasting in his palace for the marriage of a certain nobleman which was celebrated there. Among other things, after the banquet, there was a ball in the presence of a large gathering of noble ladies. As it is the custom of the country to invite all the guests at the banquet to dance, and the Cardinal had welcomed to his table the bishops of Feltre, Agde, Clermont and so on, the official secretary, Pighino, and the procurator fiscal of the Council, all were able to take part in the dancing. And the Cardinal wanted to honour them in that way. That evening he invited the Archbishop of Palermo and several bishops to supper, and invited them to open the ball, with himself at the head. And all this took place very honourably, with seemly modesty and Christian charity.”

Gary Macy is a theology professor at the University of San Diego. His e-mail address is macy@pwa.acusd.edu