Sukias

An Encyclopaedia of Occultism (1920)

Central American witches. (See American Indians.) Summa Perfectionis: (See Arabs .) Summons by the Dying: It was formerly maintained by the theologians that if anyone who was unjustly accused or persecuted should summon, with his dying breath, his oppressor to appear before the supreme tribunal, a miracle would take place, and the person thus summoned would Swedenborg, Emanuel die on the day fixed by his innocent victim. Thus the (Grand Master of the Templars ) cited the pope and the king of France to appear before God on a certain date not very far ahead, and the story goes on to relate that both died at the appointed time. François I., Duke of Brittany, hired assassins to murder his brother, in 1450. The dying prince summoned his murderer before the highest of all courts, and François shortly expired. Yet another instance is that of Ferdinand IV., of Spain , who was summoned by two nobles whom he had condemned unjustly, and he also responded reluctantly at the end of thirty days. 66 Many more examples could be quoted to show how firmly-rooted was this belief in the power of the dying to avenge their death by supernatural means. Indeed, it would be safe to say that, by an inversion, of the usual order of cause and effect, the popular faith in the efficacy of the summons was responsible for such evidence as was forthcoming on its behalf. Fear, and possibly remorse, acting on the imagination of the guilty judge, might well cause him to expire at the stated time, and authenticated accounts of death caused by these agents are not unknown. This is further borne out by the fact that if the condemned man was guilty-that is, if the judge's conscience was clear-the summons had no effect. Sorcerers, especially, summoned their judges, but in vain. A story, is told of Gonzalvo of Cordova, who sentenced a soldier to death for sorcery. The soldier exclaimed that he was innocent, and summoned Gonzalvo to appear before God. " Go, then," said the judge, " and hasten the proceedings. My brother who is in heaven, will appear for me." Needless to say, Gonzalvo did not die, as he believed he had dealt justly Sunderland, Rev. Laroy: (See Spiritualism .) and had no fear of the consequences of the summons. Suth, Dr. Pietro : (See Italy .)