A meeting between the English and French monarchs took place at Boulogne on 20 October 1532,[11] at which Bishop du Bellay was present,[12] and immediately thereafter Cardinals Tournon and de Gramont were sent to Rome to negotiate with Pope Clement VII.

[13] In this last embassy, it was his duty to explain the agreements made between Francis I and Pope Clement VII during their negotiations in Marseille in October and November 1533.

[15] His mission in both English and Roman embassies was to prevent the implementation of Pope Clement's decree of excommunication against Henry VIII, who was a valuable ally of France against the Emperor Charles.

[17] On their arrival in Rome, they were accommodated in the residence of the Bishop of Faenza Rodolfo Pio di Carpi, the future Cardinal, who had recently returned from a papal embassy to the French Court.

Despite the Bishop's best efforts, the Imperial agents, who were well entrenched and vigorous in their advocacy, influenced the papal Consistory to vote to approve the sentence against Henry VIII on 23 March 1534.

In September 1534 Bishop du Bellay's secretary, Claude de Chappuys accompanied the French cardinals who were going to Rome for the Conclave that followed the death of Pope Clement VII.

He was sent by King Francis to seek papal assistance against the aggression of the Emperor Charles V in the struggle for the Duchy of Milan.

[22] On 21 July 1536 du Bellay was nominated "Lieutenant-General" to the king at Paris and in the Île de France,[23] and was entrusted with the organisation of the defence against the Imperialists under the leadership of the Count of Nassau, who, under the direction of the Emperor Charles V, were invading eastern France while Charles was attacking Provence.

[25] In the last years of the reign of Francis I, cardinal du Bellay was in favour with the duchesse d'Étampes, and received a number of benefices: he was Administrator of the bishopric of Limoges on the nomination of the King and with the approval of Pope Paul III on 22 August 1541; he held the diocese until the appointment of Antoine Seguin on 13 August 1544.

His niece and patroness, the duchesse d'Étampes was replaced by King Henri's mistress, Diane de Poitiers.

[31] His position as a French representative was cancelled when the Cardinal of Ferrara, Ippolito d'Este arrived in Rome.

The leading candidates were Reginald Pole, Giovanni Morone, and Gian Pietro Carafa; Cardinal du Bellay was not papabile.

On 25 February 1550 he was promoted suburbicarian Bishop of Albano by the new pope, Julius III, replacing Cardinal Ennio Filonardi, who died during the Conclave.

[37] Catherine de' Medici was a frequent visitor, and in 1563 she purchased the Château du Bellay [fr] from his heirs.

[38] After three quiet years passed in retirement in France (1550–1553), the Cardinal was charged with a new mission to Pope Julius III.

[25] Paul IV died on 18 August 1559 after a contentious reign of four years, two months and twenty-seven days.

Security was so bad that on 2 October, the cardinals appointed a reform committee, with Du Bellay its leader, to restore order.

He was asked if he would consent to a Scrutiny the next morning, and he agreed, providing that it was recognised that he had been validly and canonically elected on the 25th.

[43] Since he had died in Rome, the appointment to his vacated benefices, according to the Concordat of Bologna of 1516, belonged to the Pope, not to the King.

[45] Less resolute and reliable than his brother Guillaume, the Cardinal had brilliant qualities, and an open and free mind.

Guillaume Budé was his friend, François Rabelais his faithful secretary and doctor; men of letters, like Etienne Dolet, and the poet Salmon Macrin, were indebted to him for assistance.

Rabelais's main work of this nature is the Gargantua and Pantagruel series, which contain a great deal of allegorical, suggestive messages.