The Black Chalice

Authorship

There is some debate about the authorship of the Salisbury Manuscript, in spite of its age and its connection to William Caxton.

"I'm convinced this is not only Malory, but Malory's own hand," says David Moore (Queen Mary, University of London). "He wrote the Morte while he was imprisoned, on poor stock and over some years; the Winchester was rescribed for clarity, possibly by scribes in Caxton's employ. He wrote much of the Second Book at the same time, but piecemeal, without collating and organising it the same way he had the first book. These are essentially the stories he cut out. When Caxton purchased the Morte, Malory set about redrafting the Second Book and rescribing it. I would guess Caxton's death in 1492 prevented him from going ahead with publication, and [Caxton's successor, Wynkyn] de Worde lost or sold it."

By contrast, Charlotte Hill (De Montfort University) argues, "The Salisbury was thrown together by Caxton himself or one of his clerks, hoping to 'cash in' on the Morte's success. Keep in mind the Morte itself was published thirteen years after Malory's death. Caxton evidently decided against publishing, for fear of Malory's family bringing suit."

Whether Malory's own work or a contemporary forgery, the Salisbury Manuscript is a hugely important find, and academics around the world have studied and discussed the text.