The Ancient and New Covenants, manuscript work by Freeman, Claybury Asylum

Manuscript volume created by resident of Claybury Asylum. Date inscribed on cover may not be date of creation. Written in ink and illustrated with watercolour images, by an author who identifies himself only as 'Freeman', The Ancient and New Covenants is his creation of a new religious mythos. The script is dense but clear. The narrative created by Freeman, 'tells the story of two brothers inheriting respective kingdoms of Waterland and Ashland. One of the kingdoms is beset by plagues, and “the Master Workman” bestows upon the kings a mystical Covenant which will deliver them from evil.' (vendor's note). Freeman has included a photograph of 'the messenger' of the Covenant in the frontispiece of the volume. Themes of paranoia, apolcalyptic prophechy and the intolerances of his time run through the narrative created by Freeman.

1881

1 volume: 480ff 1 volume, approximately 230mm x 80mm. c 408 ff, c.150 blank pages.

Purchased from Maggs, London

Taken from vendor's note: "Accompanied by a letter of provenance attesting to its origin amongst the papers of Dr. Charles Theodore Ewart, medical superintendent at Claybury Lunatic Asylum in Woodbridge Essex from the facility’s opening in 1893 to his death in 1917, this remarkable manuscript appears to be the work of a patient, who frequently signs his name as “Freeman”, but otherwise is of unknown identity."