book. And here foloweth the noble tale of the Sancgreal that called is
the hooly vessel.' It has been shown[38] that the stories of the Holy
Grail are probably of Welsh origin, and--Sir Thomas is said to have been
a Welshman. Is it possible that he was ever at Winchester, that he
wandered on Whitsun Eve (as did our book-hunter) along the Itchen, that
he came to and roused over the stone (smooth and polished as a
mill-stone), so different from any to be seen hereabout, and that as he
wandered back to Camelot he wove the delicious romance about it? At all
events, if he were ever there, it is at least possible that the spot was
in his mind when adapting the Welsh legends for his book. Mark how well
the events which I relate accord with the topography of the spot. The
stone was 'beneath at the river,' the damozel who comes to view the
marvel 'came rydynge doune the ryver . . . . on a whyte palfroy toward
them,' and there is mention of the river meads. It is hard to believe
that Sir Thomas would definitely assert that Camelot 'is in English
Winchester,' and make it the chief scene of his romance, had he never
visited the town.

The book was finished, Caxton tells us, 'the ix yere of the reygne of
king edward the fourth,' 1469; but was not 'chapytred and emprynted and
fynysshed in th'abbey Westmestre' until 'the last day of July the yere of
our lord M.CCCC.LXXXV.,' 1485. Three weeks later a fateful battle was
fought--that of Bosworth, which placed the crown upon Harry Tudor's head.
The facts that the new king was a great benefactor to Winchester, that he
held the castle to have been built by King Arthur, and that he brought
hither his queen to be delivered of his first-born (whom he named
Arthur), point to something more than a chance connection between the
city and the book.

Henry Tudor was also a Welshman, and possibly Malory was of the king's
acquaintance, if not actually of his retinue. Bale asserts that Malory
was occupied with affairs of state. But conclusions are dangerous things.
The preface to the 'Morte d'Arthur' ascribes the ordering of the book to
Edward the Fourth. '. . . I made a book unto th'excellent prynce and kyng
of noble memorye kyng Edward the fourth. The sayd noble Ientylmen
instantly requyred me t'emprynte thystorye of the sayd noble kyng and
conquerour king Arthur and of his knyghtes, _wyth thystorye of the saynt
greal_, and of the deth and endynge of the sayd Arthur; Affermyng that
. . . there ben