Wickerman, there is a certain amount of legend mixed with the facts of the "Burning Times". The German Bishop [apparently] used the number of burnings in his small city [Ulm ?] and then just scaled the number up to the whole of Europe.
To the best of my knowledge, there were no burnings at all in Britain. The most well-known Witch Trial was the Pendle Witches who were subject to hanging. I do not know about Salem.
Sadly, Wiccans often continue the myths of Burning which, as I said, was mostly burnings of people who did not go along with the edicts of Rome - Albigensians, Cathars, etc.
So, yes it is history, but if we don't learn from history we are bound to repeat it - not Burnings but in general bigotry and persecution which still goes on today. Mankind is a very slow learner.
