I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion; the very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware, Goody Proctor – cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 4. Using extended simile and metaphor, Hale likens his arrival in Salem to that of a proud groom bringing gifts to his beloved. But his good intentions and metaphorical "crowns of holy law" faith he proudly brought resulted in the loss of innocent lives. Hale is a much changed, humbler and guilt-ridden witch-hunter who now seeks redemption for his wrongdoing. He tells Elizabeth not to make the same mistake that he did. He warns against blind adherence to religious laws that demand the sacrifice of a person’s life. Hale wants Elizabeth to save her husband’s life by persuading him to confess to witchcraft.