On the 30th of March, 1560, he departed for Leipzig, in order to examine the stipendiaries of the Elector. After he had finished his labors, he left Leipzig on the 4th of April. His journey affected him very unfavorably, for the air was inclement and cold, and they were riding against a cutting north wind. He said, even while in the carriage, "that he had not felt the coldness so much during the whole winter, as he did now." He was able to sleep very little during the night from the 7th to the 8th of April; towards morning he was affected with fever, accompanied by a cough and shortness of breath, and his eyes appeared so sunken, that his friends were terrified. But notwithstanding all this, he roused himself from his couch to attend to his duties, but found himself so much exhausted by his efforts, that he was repeatedly obliged to totter to his couch, to refresh himself. During this day, he yet wrote a short letter to Moller, and apologized for its brevity on account of the severe pain he was suffering. His son-in-law, Doctor Peucer, thought that the affection of the stone, with which his father-in-law had suffered severely before, was again making its appearance, and had a bath and warm poultices prepared for him. After wishing him good night, the invalid said: "If it is the will of God that I shall die, I am heartily willing to die, and I only pray God to grant me a joyful dismission." He felt that death was approaching; and as he was fond of reading and interpreting the stars, he observed intimations of his death in the planets. He rose shortly before 8 o'clock, in order to deliver his usual lecture. His friends, Esrom (Ruediger) and Sturm, in vain endeavored to dissuade him from doing so. He said, "I will lecture for a half hour, and then use a bath." But when he was about to set his foot upon a little stool which he used when he washed his hands, he became so weak that he was not able to lift up the other foot, so that he almost fell back. Upon this he said, "I shall go out like a lamp." He went to the lecture-room, accompanied by his two friends; but it was not yet 8 o'clock, and but few students were present. He then remarked: "What is the use of our being here?" On the way back to his house, he said to his companions: "If I could reach Koenigsberg, I might become better." When he reached the house, he felt somewhat better, and his friends did not venture to give notice that the lecture would be omitted. Esrom departed, in order to seal the letter in which he had communicated Melanchthon's illness to Camerarius.