In his misery and despair he was induced to resort to irregular modes of relief.

His confessor brought to court impostors who pretended that they could interrogate the powers of darkness.

The Devil was called up, sworn and examined.

This strange deponent made oath, as in the presence of God, that His Catholic Majesty was under a spell, which had been laid on him many years before, for the purpose of preventing the continuation of the royal line.

A drug had been compounded out of the brains and kidneys of a human corpse, and had been administered in a cup of chocolate.
This potion had dried up all the sources of life; and the best remedy to which the patient could now resort would be to swallow a bowl of consecrated oil every morning before breakfast.