Sussex Manuscript

A unique manuscript which purports to be a translation of the Necronomicon of Abdul Alhazred. The work is leather-bound, and written in hand-produced blackletter with illuminations. The manuscript is in English, but written in the style of several centuries ago. The opening page is headed Cultus Maleficarum in Libri quattuor, which would appear to mean something like Cults of Evil Sorcerers in Four Books. Its origin is given as "Sussex - mdxcviii," — that is, Sussex, 1598. And it is said to be "ex hyms Baronis Fredericus Primus," which would seem to mean that it was transcribed or owned or commissioned by a Baron Frederic the First. The work is far too short to be the complete Necronomicon, which in any case is divided into more than four books. It is possibly a collection of extracts from the unpublished translation by John Dee (1527-1608).

Transcriptions of the Sussex Manuscript have been published in the books The Necronomicon: Selected Stories and Essays..., ed. Robert M. Price, and in A Guide to the Cthulhu Cult, by Fred L. Pelton. [Some nonfictional background information about the work is given in the article "What Was the Sussex Manuscript?" by Edward P. Berglund, Crypt of Cthulhu, Hallowmas 1985 (Vol. 5, # 1; Whole # 35), and reprinted in Chris Perridas' blog page.]

Asaph Gilman's papers included baffling passages from the Sussex Manuscript. Prof. Vibberto Andros loaned a transcript of the Sussex Manuscript to Claiborne Boyd. [AWD Gorge].

Sylvan Phillips' papers included references to the Sussex Fragments. Marius Phillips found a copy of the Sussex Fragments that had been hidden by Sylvan. [AWD Seal (online text)]

Aka: Sussex Fragments.

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