Farel, also, reviled him on the way to the stake, at which he perished on October 26, 1553, [Sidenote: Death of Servetus] crying, "God preserve my soul! O Jesus, Son of the eternal God, have mercy on me!" Farel called on the bystanders to witness that these words showed the dying man to be still in the power of Satan.
This act of persecution, one of the most painful in the history of Christianity, was received with an outburst of applause from almost all quarters.

Melanchthon, who had not been on speaking terms with Calvin for some years, was reconciled to him by what he called "a signal act of piety." Other leading Protestants congratulated Calvin, who continued persecution systematically.

Another victim of his was Matthew {179} Gribaldi, whom he delivered into the hands of the government of Berne, with a refutation of his errors.

[Sidenote: 1564.] Had he not died of the plague in prison he would probably have suffered the same fate as Servetus.
[Sidenote: Complete theocracy, 1555] Strengthened by his victory over heresy, Calvin now had the chance to annihilate his opponents.

On May 15, 1555, he accused a number of them of treason, and provided proof by ample use of the rack.