a woman.'
'Boot Father...,' Elizabeth started to protest.
'Do as I say, Lass,' exerted her father.
Elizabeth quickly changed into the clothing. Wearing man's clothing was very distasteful to her and she felt that it was a sin against God. Still, she was obedient to her father.
______
Bromley kissed Margaret and told her goodbye. 'I shall be 'ome before nightfall.'
'You 'ad bet'er be,' said Margaret smiling. 'I will nay sleep until I 'ave you in me arms. Now off with you. 'urry and find your brother.'
As Bromley neared the meadows just outside the gates of Stamford he saw that several bulls had been pastured there in preparation for the annual running with the bulls in Stamford. Though the running of the bulls was an ancient tradition in Stamford, he had never been allowed by his father to participate. But now, he thought, 'I am married and can do as I wish.' The bulls weren't running for three days hence and so he was sure that he would have no problem getting back from Bourne so that he could also run. He stopped and watched for several minutes as some men and boys from the towne poked and tormented the bulls with sticks. Bromley had heard that tormenting the bulls for several days made them wilder. When the bulls were wild, running with them was exciting. Still Bromley wasn't sure that it was necessary to torment them so. They looked very wild already. Following the run, the bulls would be butchered and the villagers would be invited to enjoy the feast. Bromley thought that Margaret would enjoy that very much.
It was soon after midday when Bromley reached Bourne. He straightway looked for the Glazier shoppe, but there was no such shoppe to be found. He decided to visit the church and see whether glass work had been done there or whether the priest could say where the glaziers had gone.
Bromley found the priest at the church working amongst the headstones in the church yard. The priest was facing away from Bromley and was clearing some grass away from a headstone. Bromley didn't wish to startle the priest, so before getting too close, he cleared his throat and said, 'Oy, Father.'
Turning and rising to his feet, the priest greeted Bromley, 'Gud dee, me sone. Is it nay a beaut'iful dee? No rain yet todee.'
'Aye, it is a luvly dee,' agreed Bromley.
'You are nay from Bourne, are you sone,' observed the priest, eyeing Bromley closely.
'Nay, I am luking for me brother, a glazier. 'e came 'ere for work. I do nay see any glaziers working in Bourne. 'ave you seen 'im, or can you tell me where the glaziers are?'
'Nay, there is no glass work being dune in Bourne. There was work being dune at the abbey, boot the glaziers finished that work and left recently,' the priest told Bromley.
'Do you know where they went after finishing the work?' asked Bromley.
'Nay, sume say that they went to Boston, boot I do nay know. It was a shame that one of them deed on their last dee 'ere.'
'One of them deed?' asked Bromley hoping to get more information.
'Aye, they say 'e fell as 'e was placing a window.'
'And this man that deed, do you know 'is name?' asked Bromley.
'I am nay certain that anyone knows 'is name, 'e was recently comb to Bourne. All I know is that 'e was from sumewhere south of Bourne.'
'Whot did 'e luk like, then?'
The priest looked down at the ground and scratched his head and said, 'Well, as I recall, 'e was taller than sume and 'e 'ad dark 'air. I know 'e was a yung man, boot 'e was a journeyman.'
'That sounds just like me brother,' stammered Bromley and he felt a lump grow in his throat.
'O, I am so soory,' offered the Priest. 'I 'ave prayed for 'is soul.'
Bromley kneeled down by one of the headstones to hide his emotions and rubbed his fingers across the name as though he knew the person who lay there. Slowly he said, 'e 'ad a yung wife. She is going to be so sad, I 'ate to tell 'er,'
The priest placed his hand on Bromley's shoulder to comfort him. 'Stay 'ere tonight. Do nay return to your village until tomorrow.'
'Nay,' said Bromley quietly as he rose to his feet. 'I muust be off. 'is wife is traveling with 'er family to Trowell. If I leave right away, I can catch them and give them word.'
'Please, 'ave a meal before you go,' urged the