His pedigree was also investigated, in the expectation that some traces of Jewish or Moorish descent might serve to incriminate him.

If he failed in repeating the Christian shibboleths, or if he was discovered to have infidel ancestry, there existed already a good case to proceed upon.

Finally, he was questioned upon the several heads of accusation condensed from the first delation and the deposition of the witnesses.

If needful at this point, he was put to the torture, again and yet again.[84] He never heard the names of his accusers, nor was he furnished with a full bill of the charges against him in writing.
At this stage he was usually remanded, and the judicial proceedings were deliberately lengthened out with a view of crushing his spirit and bringing him to abject submission.

For his defence he might select one advocate, but only from a list furnished by his judges; and this advocate in no case saw the original documents of the impeachment.