Were male witches burned at the stake? (America, myths, churches)
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There was a man who was pressed to death between heavy stones, over a period of days. Another was hanged. I don't know if any were burned at the stake in Salem specifically. There definitely were male accused "witches" in Europe and the Americas. Women did far outnumber the men.
No one was burned at the stake at the Salem witch trials, the preferred execution was hanging. Male and Female were tried and convicted however, females seemed to garner more attention because they were more prevalent and accused more by other women. The accusations could have been true or they could have been fabricated because of a dislike of that particular female. This style of execution was popular around the 1300's - 1600's, however, most died from carbon monoxide poinsoning, were hanged first then burned or died from smoke inhalation before their bodies actually burned. This type of execution was not only popular for witches though it was used for a number of other crimes against the current laws such as adultry, treason and heresey.
Being burned at the stake was more the God -approved dealing with heretics -of either faith - than with witches.
In the 17th century when witch hysteria was at its height in Europe and confessions extracted by torture were all part of the procedure, male witches were certainly tried, confessions extracted and duly executed. Whether by hanging, burning or dismembering, I can't recall, but I would be surprised if none were burned alive with a stake to ensure their their subcutaneous fat bubbling and igniting could be enjoyed by the assembled Faithful.
I always hear about female witches being burned alive at the Salem witch trials but what about warlocks/male witches?
If you want a good idea of what happened during the Salem trials you should read A Delusion Of Satan by Frances Hill. Most were hanged & the rest were put in prison where some of the died of disease & starved to death. Also keep in mind that these were done by secular courts & not the church.
A little FYI a Warlock isn't a male witch it's someone who was cast out of a coven for breaking the covens rules.
Thanks for raising the point on Warlocks. In fact Witch hunting was of male or female, and those who hunted them down (using the 'secular courts' rather than the church, aside that the superstitious hysteria was firmly rooted in the views of the churches and I cannot recall a single ecclesiastical protest at the very dirty work that the courts did) hardly knew nor cared about the actual organization of witchcraft, if indeed there was any such organization.
Such intelligence they had compiled about witches and their activities came rather from the unimpeachable source of racked elderly men and poker - seared old ladies, desperately relating the stories about prancing about nude (magically transformed into pretty wenches of course) on the Sabbat and stuff about the devil's scaly member and kissing his ring piece in hopes to appease the jaded tastes of their prong -wielding tormentors.
Thanks for raising the point on Warlocks. In fact Witch hunting was of male or female, and those who hunted them down (using the 'secular courts' rather than the church, aside that the superstitious hysteria was firmly rooted in the views of the churches and I cannot recall a single ecclesiastical protest at the very dirty work that the courts did) hardly knew nor cared about the actual organization of witchcraft, if indeed there was any such organization.
Such intelligence they had compiled about witches and their activities came rather from the unimpeachable source of racked elderly men and poker - seared old ladies, desperately relating the stories about prancing about nude (magically transformed into pretty wenches of course) on the Sabbat and stuff about the devil's scaly member and kissing his ring piece in hopes to appease the jaded tastes of their prong -wielding tormentors.
I'm sure that the church did more then fair share of witch hunting, etc but I'm also sure they covered their tracks well too. More so by getting others to do it for them. You have to give these people credit to be able to come up with the myths they did & the stories were outrageous! I think they missed their calling as writers. Then of course int he bible you have King James who are VERY paranoid & only wrote what he did because he was scared of what his subject might of though of him. Everyone was on a witch hunt & he felt inclined to give the people what they wanted.
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