Tom was sent to prison for rustling cattle, poaching, extortion, robbery and attempted murder. But Tom was sneaky enough to escape from prison. Not once, but twice. Such a rascal was he that when the government began pardoning whole cellblocks full of prisoners due to overcrowding, Tom was specifically excluded by name.
At age 16, Tom participated in the Siege of Calais as the aide of Richard Beauchamp, a high-ranking army officer. When Beauchamp was killed, Tom returned sadly and wearily home, an embittered young man with a chip on his shoulder. Tom's 3 years overseas had made him dangerously critical of the government; critical enough to wind up in prison.
But young Tom didn't go to prison because he was poor – He was a wealthy landowner. And it's not that he didn't have friends in high places. In fact, Tom received a knighthood. But none of these are the things for which he's remembered. We remember Tom today because when he was forty-nine he sat cross-legged on the floor of his prison cell and read a 300 year-old book of history written by a mysterious fellow named Geoff. And then Tom began to write.
Shortly after his book was completed, Tom died in prison alone. Today there are only 2 things that remain of his life. The first of these is a marble tombstone in the graveyard of the Friary Church of St. Francis that reads, “Sir Thomas Malory. March 14, 1470.” The second is a book that contains the final words that Tom ever wrote: “Here is the ende of the hoole book of kyng Arthur and of his noble knyghtes of the Round Table.” Tom's book is known today as Le Morte D'Arthur.
Roy H. Williams
ACADEMY GRADUATES: Come Play in the Wizard's Field of Dreams!
Recharge and refocus at the annual Wizard Academy Reunion with Roy H. Williams, Dr. Nick Grant, Keith Miller, Chris Maddock & all your fellow Academy Grads.
| When: | Saturday, October 4, 2003 |
| Where | Four Seasons Hotel (On the river in downtown Austin. Easy walking distance from most hotels.) |
| Price: | $199.00 (spouses are welcome at no additional charge) |
This year's theme is “Transformational Journeys,” perfect for anyone who's ever found themselves at the crossroads of change.
Roy and Pennie would also love to treat you to our traditional, all-you-can-eat barbecue dinner at the legendary Salt Lick on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7:00 p.m. Call our office number (800) 425-4769, or email director@wizardacademy.org to register for Friday night and all day Saturday!
Aroooo! Aroo-Arooo! BEAGLE UPDATE
The stunning conclusion of the Free the Beagle trilogy, Beagles Visit the Seven Sisters, is now complete and the entire trilogy is being bound into a single, hardback volume entitled Destinae to be released in early October. But the BEAGLE AUDIO TRILOGY is available now, fully produced on 3 CDs featuring more than 20 professional character voices, music and sound effects. Note: Although highly entertaining, the audio trilogy does NOT come with a written transcript or include the interchaptoral comments and expert analysis you'll need to unlock the symbolism contained this epic adventure. The Audio CD's will definitely let you know how the story ends, but you won't know what it all means until the hardback is published in early October. List price: $23.95 At WizardAcademyPress.com: Just $14.75