Who was credited for writing the first English novel?

It's a question that "Academics" are still arguing about! According to them some forms of writing are less acceptable than others for fairly complex reasons. Some schools of thought suggest that Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", written in1470, published in1485, was the first work of English Literature (published), ironic in itself as the title is in French!!! Other "scholars" think that Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" was the definitive first English Novel written in1719. After some research I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to truly ascertain which English Novel or Writer was the first!!

Research suggests that the first English novel written by a male writer is Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" (1719), while the first English novel written by a female writer is Aphra Behn's "Oroonoko" (1688).