What time of the Monday was this?—­This was some time about the middle of the day.

Did Mr. Blandy take any of that water gruel?—­I gave him a half-pint mug of it on Monday evening for him to take before he went to bed.

Did you observe anybody meddle with that half-pint mug afterwards?—­I saw Miss Blandy take the teaspoon that was in the mug and stir the water gruel, and after put her finger to the spoon, and then rubbed her fingers.

Did Mr. Blandy drink any of that water gruel?—­Mr. Blandy drank some of it, and on the Tuesday morning, when he came downstairs, he did not come through the kitchen as usual, but went the back way into his study.

Did you see him come down?—­I did not.

When was the first time you saw him that day?—­It was betwixt nine and ten.  Miss Blandy and he were together; he was not well, and going to lie down on the bed.

Did you see him in the evening?—­In the evening Robert Harman came to me as I was coming downstairs and told me I must warm some water gruel, for my master was in haste for supper.

Did you warm some?—­I warmed some of that out of the pan, of which he had some the night before, and Miss Blandy carried it to him into the parlour.

Did he drink it?—­I believe he did; there seemed to be about half of it left the next morning.

How did he seem to be after?—­I met him soon after he had ate the water gruel going upstairs to bed.  I lighted him up.  As soon as he was got into the room he called for a basin to reach; he seemed to be very sick by his reaching a considerable time.

How was he next morning?—­About six o’clock I went up the next morning to carry him his physic.  He said he had had a pretty good night, and was much better.

Had he reached much overnight?—­He had, for the basin was half-full, which I left clean overnight.

Was any order given you to give him any more water gruel?—­On the Wednesday Miss Blandy came into the kitchen and said, “Susan, as your master has taken physic, he may want more water gruel, and, as there is some in the house, you need not make fresh, as you are ironing.”  I told her it was stale, if there was enough, and it would not hinder much to make fresh; so I made fresh accordingly, and I went into the pantry to put some in for my master’s dinner.  Then I brought out the pan (the evening before I thought it had an odd taste), so I was willing to taste it again to see if I was mistaken or not.  I put it to my mouth and drank some, and, taking it from my mouth, I observed some whiteness at the bottom.

What did you do upon that?—­I went immediately to the kitchen and told Betty Binfield there was a white settlement, and I did not remember I ever had seen oatmeal so white before.  Betty said, “Let me see it.”  I carried it to her.  She said, “What oatmeal is this?  I think it looks as white as flour.”  We both took the pan and turned it about, and strictly observed it, and concluded it could be nothing but oatmeal.  I then took it out of doors into the light and saw it plainer; then I put my finger to it and found it gritty at the bottom of the pan.  I then recollected I had heard say poison was white and gritty, which made me afraid it was poison.