TRENT, a city of the Austrian province of Tyrol. It was formerly the capital of an independent ecclesiastical state. The extent was small, but the bishop was a member of the German empire. In the year 1803 it was secularized and united to the Austrian dominions, being incorporated with the province of Tyrol. It afterwards shared the fate of the other Austrian territories in that quarter, till the peace of 1814 placed it in the condition in which it is now to be seen. The bishop is still called a prince, and has a yearly income of about L.4000 sterling. The city lies in a deep valley surrounded with lofty hills, whose sides are covered with vineyards, intermixed with numerous and some elegant country seats and gardens. It stands on the banks of the river Etsch or Adige, which is navigable to it, and over which is a fine bridge 300 feet in length. The city is surrounded with walls, but is not deemed capable of defence, from the heights that command the works. The streets are narrow, gloomy, and not very clean. The palace of the bishop is an antique and unsightly building, but adorned by fine gardens. The cathedral is highly ornamented, and worth seeing; and in the church of Santa Maria is a remarkably fine painting, in which are portraits of the most distinguished members of the celebrated council held at this place. There is a collegiate establishment or lyceum, in which are thirteen professors teaching philosophy and theology. Being on the great road from Italy to Germany, it has much commerce, including some by the river, and a few considerable silk manufactories. It contains 760 houses and 9850 inhabitants. From the great heat of summer, and the severe cold of winter, it is not found to be a healthy place.

Τrent, council of, in Ecclesiastical History, denotes the council assembled by Paul III. in 1545, and continued by twenty-five sessions till the year 1563, under Julius III. and Pius IV. in order to correct, illustrate, and fix with perspicuity, the doctrine of the church, to restore the vigour of its discipline, and to reform the lives of its ministers. The decrees of this council, together with the creed of Pope Pius IV. contains a summary of the doctrines of the Roman Catholics. These decrees were subscribed by 255 clergy, consisting of four legates, other two cardinals, three patriarchs, twenty-five archbishops, 168 bishops, besides inferior clergy. As 150 of these came from Italy, the council was entirely under the influence of the pope. For a more [7:21:349] particular account of the council of Trent, see the elaborate histories of Sarpi and Pallavicino. The former of these is a very remarkable work. For the history of this council, a great mass of materials was collected by Le Plat: “Monumentorum ad Historiam Concilii Tridentini potissimum illustrandam spectantium amplissima Collectio.” Lovanii, 1781-7, 7 tom. 4to.

T rent , one of the largest rivers in England, which rises in the moorland of Staffordshire, and runs south-west by Newcastle-under-Lyne; and afterwards dividing the county into two parts, runs to Burton, then to Nottingham and Newark; and so continuing its course due north to Gainsborough on the confines of Lincolnshire, it joins several rivers, and falls into the Humber.