A.

2 Mar 1530 Croke to Ghinucci (21 Henry VIII) "De La Fossa meantime is miserably in want and cannot insure the help of those whom he has already obtained for the Kings side: has received nothing although messengers arrived from Bologna on Fr, Sa, Sun, Mon with letters from Bernardino. Mostye to John de la Fossa sends a new Hebrew writing of Mark to Ghinucci".

B.

22 Mar 1530 Croke to Ghinucci "John de la Fossa replied tonight that he would give Croke no more money, and had received orders to that effect from Ghinucci's brother Peter. Complains of this and asks how he has offended him. Has always written well of him to the King. Need 70 crowns .. or will perish of hunger .. spent at Milan that Crucinus might gain his friends .. of which he borrowed 22 from Dominico, nephew of Frances. We have most of the names which he promised and we expect to get from Friar Thomaso the writings of a formidable enemy. Will give a few gold pieces to Hebrews who have promised to write in proof of the following points. That the law in Deuteronomy relates only to inheritance .. that the marriage of Thamar with the sons of Judah was not consummated .. that the Levitical law is of the law of nature

While the Pope, Clement VII and Emperor were at Bologna March 1530 to settle their affairs after the Peace of Cambray, Henry VIII sent ambassadors thither to watch over his interests, including John.

Meanwhile Croke & Ghinucci were hard at work in northern Italy proceeding by stealth at first & pretending to be moved by a merely academic interest in the problems of Leviticus & Deuteronomy. But Croke was a whining, tiresome man who seems to have been able to quarrel with anybody. The Venetian authorities took fright at anything which might annoy Charles V, the Emperor, and King of Spain, and bade the English desist. Perugina and Bologna, both papal cities, were warned by the Vatican in Rome not to meddle in the affair. Queen Catherine's friends hindered the King's agents at every turn.

C.

"John de la Fossa has been for six days without six ducats and unless G(hinucci) sends fresh orders to the merchants, Croke cannot secure the theologians in Milan and elsewhere and will be obliged to leave this place without a single ducat. De la Fossa will not pay without new letters from the Bishop, although Croke wants the money of own messenger arriyed from Bologna".

D.

7 April 1530 "From what happened at the trial to which Croke was obliged to summon De la Fossa before he could get his money, thought Ghinucci distrusted him and ordered De La Fossa to pay no more money without giving him warning. Ghinucci had written to Croke that he must be contented with 25 gold pieces a week and De La Fossa had shown a letter from Ghinucci's brother give the same order

E.

Bernardino Mostye wrote to John de la Fossa "to John de la Fossa for the remaining 70 crowns which he refused to pay in consequence of orders from Ghinucci's brother that he should pay the remainder to the Prothonotary. Was very anxious at this as the estimation in which he was held seemed likely to be in danger, and also because he would be suspected of neglect in the Kings business and left to perish of hunger".

Finally Gallia Christiana notes that in 1531 between the two missions for King Henry VIII 'Johannem de Fosse' factus coadjutor Abbot Valassiae'.

F.

8 Aug 1535 Simon Heyes and Christopher Mont wrote to King Henry VIII "A kinsman of Langeus, M. de la Force to bring Melancthion to reason upon certain articles. If they can agree upon them perhaps M. will come to the French King". (Philip Melancthon was an important disciple of Luther, see see the Reformation chapter).

G.

5 Sep 1535 Mont to the King "M(elancthion) and six other learned Lutherans with M. de la Force".

H.

7 Sep 1535 Chr. Mont wrote to Thos Cromwell, Earl of Essex (Mont was a code name for M. Ducroc, one of Cromwell's spy-masters). "Langius/William due Bellay, Sieur de Langeus, has accordingly sent on his kinsman (M. de la Fos was a cousin of De Langes) Monsieur de la Fos to Germany with money to bring (Phillip) Melancthion (Luther's disciple) to France with 5 other learned men. Francis has sent him a safe conduct, a gold chain and money. (Francis I was King of France). All the Lutheran doctors and rabbis have written to Langey that they will accept any terms of agreement not absolutely unjust and impious."

Mont to Cromwell 1535 "Hiac factum est ut langius cognatum suum Monsieur De La Fos ad Germaniam premiserit una cum pecunia, ut Melanthonem una cum alus quinque doctos in Galliam perducat, omnibusuqe necessarus instruat. Litteras quoque fidet publice a Gallorum rege super salvo adventu in Galliam ad Melanthonem pertulit et cathenam quoque auream et aliquam pecunie summan, rex Gallus per hunc de la Fos mississe Melanthoni dicitur, qui Melanthon jam ternis litteris se adventuram in Galliam langio promisit."

I.

In the same year a Vore de la Fosse went to Wittenberg on a private mission to see Philip Melancthon from Paris. Vore is a misprint but it is still difficult to place the name - certainly not Jean or Jehan.

J.

In 1535 Philip Melancthon dedicated his 'Loci Communes' to King Henry VIII and received 200 crowns in reward. Almost certainly Melancthon converted John de la Force to the new form of Protestantism, Lutheranism (or Calvinism later on).

However later Melancthon changed his mind about Henry VIII and wrote 'let us cease to sing praises of the English Nero' after Catherine of Aragon's divorce was granted.