Burning at the stake is my favourite execution method followed by breaking on the wheel and nailing to the cross (thankfully all ancient, I like to keep it a fantasy of old times).
Big thank you to this forum of being tolerant to topics beside crucifixion.
I could talk about the topic of burning witches for hours: accusation, trial, torture, execution.
All sorts of people were subjected to witch hunts: men and women (although women accounted for about 80% of the victims), old and ugly, young and pretty.
Some were additionally tortured on the way to the execution side, mostly by being pinched with glowing hot pliers into limbs and breasts.
Regional differences in the kind of the execution was performed occurred: In some areas it was preferred to strangle the victim before burning, especially if she had confessed early in the trial before torture was applied. Other areas preferred to burn the witches alive.
Fastest method here was when the victim was led into kind of hut of straw and wood (apparently practiced often in the early ages of witch hunts): she was completely surrounded by burning material and suffocated quickly.
With exemption of the last victims later witch hunts often executed the accused by burning them in a deliberately slow and painful method: chained high above the combustion material which often consisted of fresh green or wettened wood. Suffocation was rarely the case as even the slightest breeze dissipated the smoke. There are several accounts where the victims lasted for more than two hours
The irony was how the gruesome sentences were justified: On one account of a particularly young victim the judge even ordered: "
to give her time to pray and find peace with god the burning shall be done slowly"
Burnings always attracted huge crowds of spectators
. Those were times before radio, TV an internet. Some places announced the upcoming execution in a timely manner so that onlookers even from surrounding cities could gather in the thousands. Stages and platforms were erected to provide good views, food and drink stalls were set up.
Often the poor victims were gagged or their tongues burned before the execution "
to prevent the screams destroying the festive mood".
It was a twisted mindset: Generally it was said that god would rescue her from the pain once she had suffered enough and regretted her sins, but it were humans (judge, executioner,...) who were responsible for length of her sufferings.
And it were human who on the one hand felt pity for the poor girl but on the other hand also enjoyed watching her (often naked) body twisting in agony while her feet slowly roasted in the flames.