The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #157555   Message #3720051
Posted By: Will Fly
30-Jun-15 - 12:29 PM
Thread Name: Music as a trade (Pepys)
Subject: RE: Music as a trade (Pepys)
I think we probably have to make a distinction between formal occasions on which dancing took place and was approved - and some traditional rituals involving dancing, mumming, ales, blackface, etc., which were seen to have a pagan and non-Christian basis, and which were often the causes of "bad behaviour" like drunkenness and fornication.

Hutton's book makes the historical disapproval of the latter things on the part of the church authorities quite clear.

Bring on the drunkenness and fornication say I, but there you have it!