In 1692 a group of female children claimed to have been ... molested ... if you will ...

[cpwm17]

8. Memories are not reliable

Ones certainty of the accuracy of a distant memory is not proportional to the accuracy of the memory.

I have a memory of a litter of puppies and where the puppies were kept in the house. I was less than two at the time. I verified that it is accurate with my mother. It's possible that I later saw a picture of the puppies and where they were kept, but I do think this is an accurate memory.

I have a memory of almost drowning and being saved by my grandfather. When I was young I'd tell my friends about it. I later realized that the memory is false. It never happened. If I had adults reinforcing this memory I'd surely believe with certainty that it was accurate.

Both the puppies and the drowning are just as vivid, but only one memory is likely accurate. I can't really be certain that I told any friends about the drowning either.