STAMFORD in the fifteenth century retained something of its early medieval international greatness, but was changing, creating winners and losers. The chief winner was William Browne, "a merchant of a very wonderfulle richenesse" Leland]. A wool merchant whose commercial empire spread from Boston and Ipswich to Coventry and Southampton as well as Calais; money lender to crown, nobility and local tradesmen and women; property owner in town and countryside, not above using underhand means to build up his estates; town councillor and gildsman, a leader in every field he touched (including mayor...