Although it pains him greatly to do so, Proctor admits to having an adulterous affair with Abigail Williams. Whether or not he went to court ready to make this confession is not certain, but once Proctor sees that Abigail has gained control once again of the court, that the judges do not believe Mary Warren's testimony, and that the petition signed by numerous members of the community on behalf of his wife carries no weight, John is forced to admit to the affair in order to spare his friends' wives' lives. Elizabeth is safe for now because of her pregnancy, but John cannot allow his friends to be executed while he withholds information that might save them.
When John calls Abigail a whore, he knows that he must provide proof, and so he finally lays his soul bare before the judges, knowing that at the least he could be imprisoned for his adulterous relationship or at the worst executed.
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