Sir Thomas Malory: Arthurian villain or man of his times?

Here’s Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel c1416-1471, at the time of Towton, a retainer of Richard Neville. 

 

 The figure and horse are both from Essex’s medieval range.

This is the first figure I have had to take a , modest, leap with - in terms of research, the most demanding painting of heraldry and the question as to whether he was even present at Towton. However, the evidence seem credible and worth the risk, to produce a middle ranking combatant with such a detailed, albeit ambiguous back story, some character to put it mildly, an a historically important individual in his own right.

Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel was a retainer of two successive Earls of Warwick, Richard Beauchamp and Richard Neville. Malory had a colourful career that reflects the Bastard Feudalism of the time. He was a landowner in Warwickshire, Justice of the Peace, and MP. However he also appears to have played a significant role in the lawlessness of the period and was involved in a series of incidents that suggest a serial criminal. In 1443 he was charged, with an accomplice of kidnap and theft, and then in 1451 charged but not found guilty of ambushing the Lancastrian Duke of Buckingham. This was possibly at the behest of Beauchamp. A series of alleged violent crime followed including robberies, horse stealing and possibly rape. He was imprisoned and escaped or released three times before 1461, but except for the 1451 incident never charged. And some argue the allegations against him was a fabrication by the Duke of Buckingham.

In early 1461, he was pardoned by Edward IV probably due to Malory’s Yorkist links. 

In later years, he was active in Warwick’s plots against Edward IV and was thus imprisoned again in 1468 only to be released from prison for a final time during the brief 1470 reign of Henry VI. One assumes this was as a result of Warwick’s lobbying. Malory died in 1471 and was buried at Christ Church, Greyfriars, London. His tomb epitaph reportedly made reference to him being a “valiant soldier”.

 

Malory, is most well-known for his literary rather than military legacy. He is widely believed to be the author of Le Morte d'Arthur, the first major work of English language prose. Whilst there were at least six other Thomas Malorys alive at the same time and others suggested as the author, the Newbold Revel one is seen as the prime contender. Several references to the author being a “knight” and “knight prisoner” are in Caxton’s 1485 printed edition of the book. As the Arthurian scholar, PJC Field, suggests "he was the only knight of the right name alive at the right time" and with access to earlier manuscript versions of the Arthurian story. Malory probably had access to these books from Greyfriars’ library when he was jailed in Newgate. 

 

It is argued that Le Morte d’Arthur was a political critique of Malory’s own time - a period of weak kingship, insecurity and violence that followed an idealised period of unity and strong kingship under Henry V.

The debate about his presence at Towton remains open. The Towton Society database of combatants lists Malory as present at the battle but other sources do not. He was definitely in prison in 1460 and only pardoned by Edward IV on the latter’s accession, in March 1461. If he was released at the time, his links to Warwick and the massive muster both sides undertook before Towton, it is plausible he followed Edward and Warwick northward. Field argues in 'Malory and the Battle of Towton' , that the descriptions of warfare and especially of  post-battle looting in Le Morte d’Arthur suggest Malory fought in the Wars of the Roses and especially the unprecedented large-scale carnage of Towton. Other academics question this. They argue that previous versions of the Arthurian legends contain similar graphic accounts of war and thus Malory’s texts cannot be used as evidence of his participation at Towton. 

The final uncertain is to his coat of arms.  Field argues there is some uncertainty on the subject. He describes this problem over 6 pages in his excellent Life and Times of Sir Thomas Malory. 

 

Whilst noting the debate, Field ultimately decides on:

  Quarterly 1 & 4 ermine a chevron gules and a border engrailed sable; 2&3 or three lions passant sable.

So here is my representation of Malory, a figure whose life, career and mixed character and the evidence on whom seem to epitomise the complex times - involved in the highs and lows of C15th bastard feudalism; ruthless even criminal behaviour, evading justice and producing a classic of English literature.