Quote Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost View Post
The garrotting of the repentant was reasonably commonplace. A poor source here (under Sentencing) but you will find the practice noted in several histories of the Inquisition. Of course, in theory this was done by the secular state.

As I understand the logic, burning was both exemplar and foretaste of the Inferno to which the heretic was dispatched. A penitant may still deserve death, but with the chance of Purgatory in which to repent.
Really? How deeply disturbing, that's really not how you're supposed to deal with heretics.

I will reply to everything else later.