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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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112 HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

Cardinal held a conference three times a week with eight<br />

legal experts, concerning current affairs in connection with <strong>the</strong><br />

administration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> States <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church.^ In addition to<br />

all <strong>the</strong>se duties <strong>the</strong>re were frequent meetings <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> congre-<br />

gations <strong>of</strong> Cardinals, such as that on Thursdays for <strong>the</strong> reform<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church, at which Borromeo had to be present, ^ while for<br />

recreation he had <strong>the</strong> evening discussions in <strong>the</strong> academy which<br />

he had founded, under <strong>the</strong> title <strong>of</strong> " Vatican Nights," where<br />

Latin <strong>the</strong>ses were read and discussed.^<br />

In spite <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se splendid examples <strong>of</strong> self-sacrificing<br />

devotion to duty, Borromeo was still far <strong>from</strong> being <strong>the</strong> strict<br />

ascetic <strong>of</strong> his later years. He was passionately fond <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

chase, and followed it for <strong>the</strong> benefit <strong>of</strong> his health more eagerly<br />

than his friends thought consistent with <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> a<br />

Cardinal.^ He paid great attention to <strong>the</strong> magnificence <strong>of</strong><br />

his household, although he was for those days very moderate<br />

in his personal requirements, but his court consisted <strong>of</strong> 150<br />

persons, who were clo<strong>the</strong>d <strong>from</strong> head to foot in black velvet.^<br />

(1900). Cf. also G. Castellan I, Una lettera di S. Carlo Borromeo<br />

[<strong>of</strong> May 4, 1560] a proposito della sacca di Fano : Rivista Ital.<br />

di numismatica, 1908.<br />

^GlROL. SORANZO, 9I ; GlAC. SORANZO, I35.<br />

^Massarelli in Merkle, II., 343.<br />

' GiROL. Soranzo, 91; TiRABOscHi, VII., 45, 198 ; Saxius,<br />

Noctes Vatic. Medici., 1738; Kunz, Bibli<strong>the</strong>k fiir kath. Padagogik,<br />

I., 20 ; Sprotte, Zur Gesch. des hi. Karl Borromaus,<br />

Oppeln, 1893 ; San Carlo, 61.<br />

* Anal. Boll. 25 (1906), 521. <strong>The</strong> remark <strong>of</strong> Bascape (p. 6a)<br />

must refer to this, as well as to <strong>the</strong> game <strong>of</strong> ball : " Quotidianas<br />

etiam oblectationes quasdam sacrae disciplinae non satis con-<br />

sentaneas admittebat " ; c/. p. 9a :<br />

" exercitatione corporis ad id<br />

tempus valetudinis gratia magnopere delectatus." On December<br />

4, 1 561, Borromeo begs <strong>the</strong> nuncio Delfino to send him suitable<br />

sporting dogs <strong>from</strong> Germany (Steinherz, Nuntiaturberichte, I.,<br />

324). Fr. Tonina speaks <strong>of</strong> a hunt <strong>of</strong> Borromeo in a *letter <strong>of</strong><br />

October 22, 1561 (Gonzaga Archives, Mantua).<br />

^ GiROL. Soranzo, 92 ; Lodi, in <strong>the</strong> Archivio stor. Lomb.,<br />

1903. 355- <strong>The</strong> Papal court consisted <strong>of</strong> 1500 persons; <strong>of</strong>.<br />

GiROL, Soranzo, 96.

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