Never had these qualities been more necessary, for matters were taking an alarming aspect. On the 4th June died Chancellor Gattinara, who was to Charles the Fifth "what Ulpian was to Alexander Severus," says Melancthon, and with him all the human hopes of the Protestants vanished. "It is God," Luther had said, "who has raised up for us a Naaman in the court of the King of Syria." In truth Gattinara alone resisted the Pope. When Charles brought to him the objections of Rome: "Remember," said the Chancellor, "that you are master!" Henceforward every thing seemed to take a new direction. The Pope required that Charles should be satisfied with being his "lictor," as Luther says, to carry out his judgments against the heretics.[396] Eck, whose name (according to Melancthon) was no bad imitation of the cry of Luther's crows, heaped one upon another[397] a multitude of pretended heretical propositions, extracted from the Reformer's writings. There were _four hundred and four_, and yet he made excuse that, being taken unawares, he was forced to restrict himself to so small a number, and he called loudly for a disputation with the Lutherans. They retorted on these propositions by a number of ironical and biting theses on "wine, Venus, and baths, against John Eck;" and the poor Doctor became the laughing-stock of everybody. [396] Tantum lictorem suum in hæreticos.--(Epp. iv. p. 10.) [397] Magnum acervum conclusionum congessit.--(Corp. Ref. p. 39.) [Sidenote: THE CHURCH, THE JUDGE.] But others went to work more skilfully than he. Cochlœus, who became chaplain to Duke George of Saxony in 1527, begged an interview with Melancthon, "for," added he, "I cannot converse with your married ministers."[398] Melancthon, who was looked upon with an evil eye at Augsburg, and who had complained of being more solitary there than Luther in his castle,[399] was touched by this courtesy, and was still more fully penetrated with the idea that things should be ordered in the mildest manner possible. [398] Cum uxoratis presbyteris tuis privatim colloqui non intendimus.--(Corp. Ref. ii. p. 82.) [399] Nos non minus sumus monachi quam vos in illa arce vestra.--(Ibid. p. 146.) The Romish priests and laymen made a great uproar, because on fast days meat was usually eaten at the Elector's court. Melancthon advised his prince to restrain the liberty of his attendants in this respect. "This disorder," said he, "far from leading the simple-minded to the Gospel, scandalizes them." He added, in his ill-humour: "A fine holiness truly, to make it a matter of conscience to fast, and yet to be night and day given up to wine and folly!"[400] The Elector did not yield to Melancthon's advice; it would have been a mark of weakness of which his adversaries would have known how to take advantage. [400] Und dennoch Tag und Nacht voll und toll seyn.--(Ibid. p. 79.)