Adultery: a possible cause of Salem Trials? Could Proctor & Abigail's adultery be responsible for some acts that happened during the prosecutions in the Salem witchtrials? One might say not, while another could say it plays a great part in the story. John Proctor’s past adultery with Abigail Williams could be considered partially responsible for John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor being accused of being witches in Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible". "The Crucible" is a story about how a young woman (Abigail Williams) falls in love with a married man (John Proctor) and will eventually do wh