I know the children’s sickness had naught to do with witchcraft…Mr. Parris discovered them sportin’ in the woods. They were startled and took sick.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 2. Proctor tells Hale that the children getting sick had nothing to do with witchcraft and the girls effectively lied when they named people as witches. He admits being told this by Abigail Williams but said nothing before now because "I never knew until tonight that the world is gone daft with this nonsense."