The original spelling was Le Morte Darthur, which was Middle French for the death of Arthur , and is one of the most famous works in English Literature. It is a re-working of traditional tales by Sir Thomas Malory about King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table though there are several original additions by him including the Gareth story. Little is known about Sir Thomas Malory and, indeed, it is only since the late nineteenth century that he has been identified with some certainity as Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel in Warwickshire, a knight, land-owner, and Member of Parliament. In addition to his title and standing he appears to have suffered several bouts of imprisonment, mainly on charges that seem to have been politically trumped up. Le Morte d'Arthur was first published in 1485 by William Caxton,