Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

A few years afterwards, Mr. Hale published ‘A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft,’ etc., wherein he gave the reasons for his change of opinion. In this book reference is made to two cases of suspected witchcraft in Cambridge, one of which had a tragical result: ‘Another suffering in this kind was a woman of Cambridge, against whom a principal evidence was a Watertown nurse, who testified that the said Kendal¹ (so was the accused called) did bewitch to death a child of Goodman Genings² of Watertown; for the said Kendall did make much of the child, and then the child was well, but quickly changed its color and dyed in a few hours. The court took this evidence among others, the said Genings not knowing of it. But after Kendal was executed (who also denyed her guilt to the death), Mr. Rich. Brown, knowing better things of Kendall, asked said Genings if they suspected her to bewitch their child; they answered, No. But they judged the true cause of the child's death to be thus; viz., the nurse had the night before carryed out the child and kept it abroad in the cold a long time, when the red gum was come out upon it, and the cold had struck in the red gum, and this they judged the cause of the child's death. And that said Kendal did come in that day and make much of the child, but they apprehended no wrong to come to the child by her. After this the said nurse was put into prison for adultery, and there delivered of her base child; and Mr. Brown went to her, and told her it was just with God to leave her to this wickedness as a punishment for murdering Goody Kendal by her false witness bearing. But the nurse dyed in prison, and so the matter was not further inquired into.’³ ‘Another instance was at Cambridge about forty years since;⁴ There was a man much troubled in the night with cats, or the devil in their likeness, haunting of him; whereupon he kept a light burning, and a ’