The "C.M." of pt. I is Cotton Mather, who is also the author of the anonymous life of Sir william Phips reviewed in the postscript.

"Nothing appears in the book to show whether the author superintended the printing of it or otherwise. He may have resided in London at the time of its publication, although there are some considerations that seem to lead to the conclusion that it may have passed through the press without his supervision."--S.G. Drake, pref. to ed. of 1866.

"It is thought by some by some that it was published in England on account of the unwillingness of publishers in Boston to incur the wrath of the Mathers. But this is doubtful, as it was a common thing for authors to send over their manuscripts to England to be published."--S.P. Fowler, pref. to ed. of 1861.

"A collection of wild phenomena, calculated to win the admiration of the most incredulous, which he proceeded ruthlessly to discredit by a remarkable array of rebutting testimony and ingenious reasoning. It was directed with sharp satire against the belief in witchcraft, and especially against the credit and standing of the eminent men who had been deluded by it. Dr. Increase Mather, then president of Harvard College, paid it the unmerited honor of burning it in the college yard."--Mem. hist. of Boston, v. 2, p. 421. (cf. ibid., v. 1, p. 165-172, and North Amer. Rev., 1816, v. 3, p. 316-319)

Calef's book was answered by Obadiah Gill and six other members of the Second Church of Boston in "Some few remarks upon a scandalous book ... by one Robert Calef ..." Boston, 1701.

Ex libris (signature) on t.p. and on p. [157]. Joseph Calef of Boston.