Mother Waterhouse, . . . of the age of sixty-four years, being examined the same day confessed as follows, and the twenty-ninth day suffered.

First she received this cat of this Francis wife in the order as is before said, who willed her to call him Satan, and told her that if she made much of him he would do for her what she would have him to do.

Then when she had received him she (to try him what he could do) willed him to kill a hog of her own, which he did, and she gave him for his labor a chicken, which he first required of her, and a drop of her blood. And this she gave him at all times when he did anything for her, by pricking her hand or face and putting the blood to his mouth which he sucked, and forthwith would lie down in his pot again, wherein she kept him, the spots of all the which pricks are yet to be seen in her skin.

Also she sayeth that another time being offended with one father Kersie she took her cat Satan in her lap and put him in the wood before her door, and willed him to kill three of this father Kersie’s hogs, which he did, and returning again told her so, and she rewarded him as before, with a chicken and a drop of her blood, which chicken he ate up clean as he did all the rest, and she could find remaining neither bones nor feathers. . . .

Likewise she confessed, that because she lived somewhat unquietly with her husband she caused Satan to kill him, and he did so about nine years past, since which time she has lived a widow.

Also she said that when she would will him to do anything for her, she would say her paternoster in Latin.

Item, this mother Waterhouse confessed that she first turned this cat into a toad by this means, she kept the cat a great while in wool in a pot, and at length being moved by poverty to occupy the wool, she prayed in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost that it would turn into a toad, and forthwith it was turned into a toad, and so kept it in the pot without wool.

Also she said, that going to Brackstead a little before her apprehension, this Satan willed her to hie her home, for she should have great trouble and that she should be either hanged or burned shortly. More at this time she would not confess. . . .

[At a second examination] said the queen’s attorney, "Agnes Waterhouse, when did thy cat suck thy blood"? "Never," said she. "No," said he, "let me see." And then the jailer lifted up her kerchief on her head, and there was diverse spots in her face and on her nose. Then said the queen’s attorney, "In good faith, Agnes, when did he suck of thy blood last"? "By my faith," said she, "not this fortnight." And so the jury went together for that matter.¹

¹"The Examination and Confession of Certain Witches at Chelmsford in the County of Essex," , 8: 24–46, passim. (The spelling is modernized.)