¶ News concerning the general council/ holden at trident by the Emperor and the germans with all the nobles of hungary/ Constantenople and Rome Translated out of Germayne into English By John Holibush.  
Anno. 1548,  
Cum Privilegio ad Imprimendum Solum.   

After due salutation I commend me to you trusty friend, letting you were, that where in my last writing to you I wrote, that (by the leave of the bountiful grace and licence of the Imperial majesty) I would shortly be with you, wherefore at the time I wrote no neweltyes to you concerning this Imperial parliament. But for as much as this purpose of mine is hindered, & I am constrained to tarry here until the return of the worshipful in god father the Cardinal & bishop of Trident which is sent to Rome with a speedy message, I would not leave to certify you of some news, so far as I may do & becometh me.  
first as concerning the articles proposed of the Imperial majesty to the estates of the Empire, I trust year fully certified And though the answer upon them hath been deferred, & specially that concerning the Religion, yet at the length, by the grace of god, have the States with one consent agreed and required, that the ordinance concerning the Religion that is in controversy undeterminated, may be determined in the general, free and christian council that already is pointed, begun and continueth at Trident. The which request the Imperours' majesty hath also thought it most convenient, christian and sure way to allay all debate and controversy: specially for as much as the situation of germany is not greatly onmete for the purpose, neither can other nations greatly grudge at the way and distance from Trident, whereby they might pretend incommodity where upon the Imperial majesty trusteth that every and singular estate of the Empire will agree to such a general council, submitting them humbly to it, accepting & redressing them after the ordinance of the same: In doing of which, they shall follow the footsteps of the ancient fathers, which have always in doubts of religion or faith, had their recourse to the council as unto a sentuary, & redressed them willingly after the ordinance of the same.  
And that such a free general council have the better progress & continuance, & that noman needeth to fear interruption of it or hindrance: the emperors majesty as a maintainer of the church, and defender of the council will godly help and busily provide, that such a council begun at Trident have his quick course & continuance. He willeth also that it be visited augmented & confirmed by the presence of other christian princes & nations, specially Archbysshops. Bishops & other Prelates of Germany (as than that are & have been chief authors or makers of this debate,) or in their lawful absence, by their wise, learned & fully authorised deputies.  
It shallbe lawful also for the States of the Ausborowesh confession safe conduted to come to remain & return again from this council, & there shallbe granted to them dew audience. By these means shall the beginning the whole treating of this general concel & conclusion be godly and christianly (all affections and partiality set a part) according to the doctrine of holy scripture and holy fathers, whereof may follow a christian reformation, by the which perverse doctrine and abuses may be rooted out.  
As for the pleatings of the Imperial chamber or hall, will the Imperial majesty continently reform, and that with convenient judges, presidents and Extraordinare persons, that justice may be comely executed, and there to be no more lacks.  
There are also other causes handled in this parliament Imperial, as are of peace, of the Coin and such like, which are come to such a point, as is to be hoped no man can have a just cause to complain.  
We do hope also that this Imperial parliament shallbe shortly ended, which might be when the worshipful cardinal and bishop of Trident shallbe returned, who departed hence out of Ausborowe the sixth day of November being sent to Rome unto the bishop of Rome, for the continuance of the Counsel of Trident, and to approve or allow the reformation, how every man shall be have himself, during the time of the general counsel. The which came to Rome the eighteenth day of November, from whence he hath written: he willbe shortly with us again, and bring with him all things that have been the requests of the Imperial majesty, and the States.  
Nother can I wytholde to certify you/ that the majesty of the king of rome Ferdinandus sent the last year an ambassador/ named Lord Gerarde Veltwick to Constantinople to the great Turk/ for to demand truce for .v. year the which request the Turk did easily grant/ partly for dread of the Imperial majesty/ whom he nameth a vanquisher/ & Lord of Europa/ partly because of the Assaults of the Soldan or king of Perses/ which cumbereth him with wars: but upon that condition: if the Imperial majesty will hold/ consent & agree to the same truce. The Roman kings Ambassador lord Veltwick hath agreed to that condition/ & promised to busy himself to cause the Imperial majesty consent to this truce: doubting not/ but trusting, the imperial majesty would not refuse it for the tender love he oweth to his brother. And upon that is the foresaid lord Veltwick come hither with the Turks messengers, desiring to know, whether the Imperial majesty will agree to this truce of five years, or not: that these foresaid messengers of the Turk, may bring their lord an answer. Upon that which hath the Imperial majesty answered on this wise: Though it becometh not our majesty, to make any appointment with the enemy of our religion, neither hath the Godly majesty ever left us aydelesse hitherto but always prospereth & helpeth us to vanquish our enemies: so that noman there is, which can advance and say: I have overcome Charles in battle. For so much also as almighty God hath endued us with so great puissance riches, men of war & captains so that we need not to be afraid of any man in the world: yet for the tender love that we own to our brother the king of the romans, Hongary & Beams we condescend, allow & ratify the truce of five years but upon that condition, that the turkish Emperor do send us his letters & specificayon concerning this peace. When the Turkyshe messengers had received this courageous answer of the Imperial majesty, they are returned to their Lord, which continently sent over the foresaid letters, in the which he calleth the emperors majesty a Lord of the christian world. These letters came here to Ausborowe the xxi day of November, which I have both handled and seen. These be written with great and unseemly letters, and on the top signed with the great Turk's arms of gold. I doubt whether I ever have seen any such like, they be neither Chalde nor Hebrew letters, the Lord Gerard veltwick saith they be Arabyck letters.  
There is also tidings come out of Hungary that a Lord of the Kings counsel, called locentzes which favoured more the turkish party than his own liege Lords, neither heard gladly the truce made: for his enterprises in many points were hindered.  
This same as he sat upon a time at his table, and his servants about him, one of them began suddenly to cry: Come death & have me away. And suddenly he cast an horrible sight with turning of his eyes, rayging and crying ugly with a loud voice: The devil is in me, and hath possessed me, neither will he leave with me, but more of you must dance this dance. The other servants would have bound him, but he spewed from him, and behaved him so woodly: afterward cast he out at his mouth the stomach, bowel, liver, heart, and all his entrails by pieces. After that begun an other of the servants to rage and wax wood, crying & howling piteously & hugly: I am possessed of the devil. The same did they bind, & Lozentz sent continently for his parson to conjure the evil sprit. But before the priest came, the third servant begun to rage's also, which was bound as the other. With that begun Lozentz to be greatly afraid: & though the priest prayed much over him, yet begun he to rage like the other & cry, so that he also was constrained to be bound. And lay of this wise in his house with his two servants (for the first died) xiiii. days before. In the mean while suaged the woodnest, & he was loosed of his bands: but his countenaunte is yet so horrible & dreadful, that noman dare approach him.  
When the foresaid truces were in hand/ a ship was spoiled upon our borders & soncked which passed in valour twenty M. gold gulden/ and all they that were in her were drowned: but the deed doers are yet unknown whether they be christian or Turks that join upon the borders. Cattians brother in law hath slain two hundredth Turks that passed the borders, and invaded our men, wherewith he hath appeased & stilled the other. These tidings came here to Ausborowe the xix day of November, but there was no credence given to them, until there came more surer certification from the Kings Majesty and other Lords.  
The xxvi day of November last passed came hither three widows, namely my lady Mary queen of Hungary and Regente, the Duchess of Loren, and the lady Princess of Orange of Brabant: whom met the Kings grace of Rome, the Archduke of ostrich his son, and the electors, namely of Colens Saxonye and Braundeborowe, be side a great number of Bishops, Dukes, and Lords, so that they entered at Ausborow six hundredth on horsebak  
They of Ausborow also have made peace with their Lord the Bishop, whereof the conditions be, that for the force, spoiling and injuries they have done him, shall in recompense thereof give him five & ninety thousand gold gyldens and for the spiritual rents that they have received thirty thousand gold gyldens.  
There is here such a number of Lords and Princes/ as never hath been seen in any parliament imperial.  
The most worshipful in god father and Lord Adolyshe archbishop of Colen & hath yesterday which was saint Nicolas even received of the Imperial majesty his dignity.  
Much were to be written of the taking of the Duke of Saxony elector was, and the landgrave, but the shortness of this letter, and also the time will not admit it. Yet can not I wytholde you that landtgrave's wife with her children, have delivered a'great bill or supplication to the States of the Empire, wherein they signified, that those articles which were delivered at the yielding of the landgrave, were fulfilled, expired and accomplished: required all the States of the Empire to make suit for the landgrave to the imperial majesty that he might be delivered. Some of the Princes gave consent thereto, but some took deliberation upon it. In the mean while as this was in hand: was the Imperial Majesty advertised of this. And when the Princes were now consulting and taking their advise, did the Imperial majesty send them a far other certification of the matter, than that of the landgrave specyfyeng the causes why it were not expedient, neither for the common peace, nor the country, that he should be released and set at liberty.  
It declared also plainly, that the articles of the landgrave submission or yielding, were not proposed aright nor lawfully: yea were not executed neither of the landgrave. The Emperors majesty also answered so evidently, and with so manifest demonstratyons to these things that were proposed the Princes by the landgrave, that they all ceased of making suit for him, but were of a contrary mind. Wherefore he was removed from donwerte, to Norlinges, with double ward which thing doth greatly grieve and displease him, complaining bewailing and lamenting to be so removed from place to place.  
Duke noritz of Saxony elector is departed from hence now of late, of whom the fame goeth, that he is gone to take up men of war in the name of the emperors majesty, the truth whereof, I cannot write for a certainty.  
This is of a truth, that here are many doughty captains, & that moche artillery is sent toward the costs to Switcherland. They of Berne are afraid, and have oft sent to the Duke of Savoy, requiring to have peace with him What end these matters shall have, can I not show at this time.  
I trust your gentlynesse will take this writing in worth, as I shall come by you, (the which I trust shallbe shortly) I shall show you more news by mouth Far well  
¶ written from August the sixth day of December. The year of our Lord. M.D.Xlviii   

¶ Imprinted at London in saint Andrew's parish in the ware dropped, by Thomas Raynalde.