Dear Reverend Hale, I, Abigail Williams feel that I have sinned beyond comprehension. My actions throughout the court trial were abominable and unforgivable. Although, I feel that I was right in providing this information because I felt that I was doing a right, not only for myself, but also for my friends and townspeople. I felt that even though what was being said was false, it gave everyone a sense of rightness. There were many reasons for which I subjected myself to these falsifications, some which are: First of all, when myself and everyone else of the group of girls were caught in the forest dancing and singing, we all knew that we would not return to our same lives after that day. Though we knew we weren't doing wrong in the forest that day, we knew that we would become the scapegoats of the town for witchcraft. Even though we knew that our actions were strictly "fun", I knew that if we denied guiltiness for our actions, we would hang for treason.
Deposition of Abigail Williams v. George Jacobs, S...
Legend (Abigail Williams EP)
Digitally restored version of Commons file File:Gi...Even though this was the right thing, and we would have died innocent, we took the jackal's way out and confessed to false accusations. When every one of my friends, including myself, decided to confess to this falsehood, we thought that we could prove our innocence over time and regain our innocence that we first started out with.
Next, and very importantly, I accused everyone that I did cause I thought that I could save them from this entire nightmare. When I started to name people that were probably suspected of witchcraft, I named them in all sincerity that I would save their lives. I thought that my one wrong doing could save the lives of 10, or maybe even 15 people. Even though some of the ones that I accused did not confess to the crime, I didn't know that they would sacrifice their lives so that everyone would know of their innocence. I greatly admire their courage and I hope that everyone in the town will take their good example and use it to teach their ways to their children and then to their children. One of the men that I admire most is Giles Corey. In his time of death and while he was being pressed, all he could say was "more weight sir." I feel that this not only shows his physical strength but also his emotional strength. He could have easily confessed to such falsehoods of witchcraft but he gave his life to stand firm and honest.
Lastly, the main reason that I subjected myself to this wrongdoing was because I felt that it could bring me closer to my true love John Proctor. When I confessed, it was so that I could go on living and to prove my love to John so that he could understand where I stood. He has already shared his soft breath with me and I wish to further this and become wed to him. I know this would go against this would go against religion, but love is so important to me. Even though he has his wife Rebecca already, I thought that once I confessed my true love to him that he would become one with me. Although, the unspeakable happened and the talk of witchcraft somehow got around to his name and this is something that I would have never wanted to happen because I confessed to the crime and accused so that no one else would be questioned and the accusations got around to him and then my true love was sentenced to death by hanging.
From this letter I hope that this will show how what I did was not for jealousy or any abhor towards the townspeople or my friends. I thought that what I did was for best and it would help everyone. Now in my absence, I think about my actions everyday and how I tried to help everyone in the fact that I could save their lives. Although it took the death of the one I loved to make me realize how some of my actions may have been mistaken but I keep with my prayers so that the lord can forgive my wrongdoings.
Sincerely, Abigail Williams
True Love (Pat Benatar album)
The Path of True Love
Old drawing of the death of Giles Corey (Sept. 19,...