Montague Summers

The Reverend Alphonsus Joseph-Mary Augustus Montague Summers was born at Pembroke Lodge, near Bristol, England on April 10, 1880. It is believed that he simply claimed the title of 'Reverend' because it is not exactly known to which religious order he belonged. Personally, I'd heard he was a Catholic priest, but was excommunicated because of his unorthodox practices concerning the occult.

Summers is the author of a large number of books on witchcraft and the occult, and was an occassional associate of Aleister Crowley (Crowley enjoyed exagerating his evilness just to spook Summers, who would then take it seriously and write about it in his books). Among the texts he either wrote or edited are:

• Malleus Maleficarum by Kramer and Sprenger: translated and edited by Summers, this is the witchhunting handbook, as endorsed by the medieval Church. Pretty awful stuff, really, the misogyny and violence. Definitely worth reading: the website is http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org
• Compendium Maleficarum by Francesco Maria Guazzo, translated by Summers
• The Discoverie of Witchs
• The History of Witchcraft
• The History of Witchcraft and Demonolatry
• The Geography of Witchcraft
• Witchcraft and Black Magic
• The Vampire in Europe
• The Supernatural Omnibus

Montague Summers died suddenly at his home in Richmond on August 10, 1948, and was buried three days later in the local cemetery. Some say he was buried in full priestly regalia. Some doubt.