Benito was undoubtedly a monomaniac for, in his subsequent audiences, he stated that, in 1609, he had been bewitched, since when everyone he met was a demon, with much other wild talk. His advocate asked for an investigation into his sanity, which was performed somewhat perfunctorily with the result that his extravagance was pronounced to be feigned. Still the consulta de fe, on November 23d, voted in discordia and the Suprema ordered further examination into his record and antecedents. Twenty years before, in his native Catalonia, he had endeavored to enter religion; two convents had refused to receive him and two others had expelled him after a few months. The tribunals of Valencia and Barcelona were set to work on these faint traces; the friars of that time were dead or scattered, but, after six months of search, two or three were found who vaguely remembered him as a melancholy person of little sense, who seemed to be possessed. Then followed further examinations of fellow-prisoners and physicians, concurring in the belief that his insanity was a fiction, and fruitless efforts were made to induce him to admit it. Another consulta de fe, held September 10, 1622, voted unanimously for relaxation, but the Suprema was not yet satisfied and ordered torture as a last resort. When the sentence was read to him he simply said that he was ready for what the Divine Majesty might be pleased to do with him. Then for three hours he was exposed to the extremity of torment, the blood dripping to the floor from his lacerated flesh, but, amid his shrieks and groans, nothing more could be extracted from him than "God suffered more; I am here to serve his pleasure" and an offer that, if they would give him a Bible, he would prove them all to be demons. If torture meant anything as a test, this proved his insanity to be real, but two days later a consulta de fe unanimously voted his relaxation as an _impenitente negativo_. Still the Suprema was not satisfied; it thought that the torture had been insufficient and it ordered him to be confined with persons of confidence, who should keep strict watch over him. Accordingly, on November 23d, his cell was changed and he was given as companions two friars and a physician awaiting trial, duly sworn and instructed. February 8, 1623, they were examined and pronounced him sane, but Dr. Antonio Gómez, who examined him, thought him liable to delusions; many persons, he said were sane in everything but one topic, on which they were insane. Still the Suprema hesitated and ordered continued observations, which were prolonged until November 4th, with the same result, when another consulta de fe unanimously voted for relaxation. The Suprema could hold out no longer against these repeated convictions; it confirmed the sentence and he was burnt alive as an impenitent, January 21, 1624.[168] Erroneous as the conclusion may seem to us, it was not reached without a prolonged and conscientious