The new manuscript, found in a local church's archives in 2006

An Oxford-based fantasy and horror publisher has secured the rights to publish a recently uncovered manuscript supposedly written by Thomas Malory.

Abaddon, an imprint of Rebellion Publishing (which also owns Solaris Books, as well as the comics 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine), announced today that it had successfully negotiated for exclusive rights to modernise and publish stories from a previously-unknown "sequel" to Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur.

The manuscript, known as the "Salisbury Manuscript" after being uncovered in the archives at the parish church of St. Barbara and St. Christopher in Salisbury in 2006, is handwritten and bears the title The Seconde Boke of kyng Arthur and also His nooble Knyghts, followed by a credit claiming the book was written by "Sir Tomas Malorye."

Examination of minute ink-smudges on the manuscript suggests it spent some of its life in William Caxton's printing shop, around the same time as the "Winchester Manuscript." The text is written in a different hand, although academics are divided as to the significance of this fact.

"This is Malory's own hand," says David Moore of the University of London. "The Winchester was rescribed by one of Caxton's clerks for clarity before typesetting, but Caxton himself died in 1492 before he got around to readying the Salisbury for press. And then, as near as we can tell, [Caxton's successor, Wynkyn] de Worde either lost it or decided against publishing."

Not everyone agrees. Jennifer Hill, of Oxford University, argues, "The evidence still supports the Winchester being Malory's own hand. 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 by Malory himself, or a contemporary forgery, the work is a significant find, and scholars from around the world are clamouring to see it. Copies and translations are circulating in the academic world already, but Canon Arthur Drake at St. Barbara and St. Christopher has agreed to let Rebellion make the first translation for publication to the general public.

"I'm a great fan of Abaddon's work. I usually have one of their zombie or steampunk books tucked into my pocket - once, I realised, I had one tucked into my cassock when I was conducting a wedding! - and I think they'll do a brilliant job with the new Malory stuff. Of course, it's well out of copyright, but I've asked everyone else to hold off until after Abaddon's translations come out."

Speaking for Rebellion, Jonathan Oliver (Editor-in-Chief) said, "We're very excited to be involved with bringing this work to the world. Whether it's an original Malory book or a fifteenth-century forgery, it's still an immensely important work, and it's brilliant to have our authors involved in it.

"Besides, the stories are great fun. There's a rich vein of chivalric tradition in these books, and I think the public will enjoy a chance to escape to a nobler time of heroic knights, evil monsters and virtuous maidens."

The first volume, The Black Chalice, translated and updated by Steven Savile, is due out in March 2011.

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