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Richard Vowell strode up Cheap Street towards the noise and bustle of the Easter Fair A lish forces in France before returning to his native Sherborne where his quick wit enabled hi

His involvement with All Halloas one of his many ventures It yielded a s he earned as a priest was returned to the parish in the form of donations to the poor and incentives to those who could further the cause

The cause fired Richard with passion He'd heard endless ser stirred hinity inflicted on ordinary people ere condemned to a lowly station because of their huentleman? He had repeated the words acall of all true believers Radical preachers had gone to the stake for saying them out loud Women had been burnt as witches Richard said them under his breath He had no time for people who made martyrs of thee structures and gnaay in silence

He had invented a family coat of arms It consisted of a shield with bar sinister in blood red Beetles occupied two quadrants and the heads of monks, barons and bishops made up the rest of the composition

On that pleasant Easter afternoon, Richard Vowell, the priest, was transformed into Dick Vowell, the old soldier He'd discarded his surplice and was attired in a way fitting for a fors, padded jerkin and red tunic The shaved, bald pate, on the top of his head was the only sign of his clerical commitments

Cheap Street was the market street It here the shopkeepers had their businesses Narrow at the bottoreen where there was ample space for stalls and entertainers A troop ofa passion play outside the Julian Inn when Richard got there and a band of pipers was playing outside the George Inn

The English marched to the wail of pipes and the familiar sound stirred memories in Richard's soul For a moment he was transported back to a muddy battlefield in northern France Then the sound of tapping shook hi beside a brazier, surrounded by pots and pans Richard sneaked up behind him

'Lollard Heretic!'

He grabbed the man by the neck