Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 1 Vol 2.djvu/292

 CLIFFORD. 291 VIII. H22. <?. Thomas (de Clifford), Lord de Clifford, Sheriff of Westmorland, only a. and Jt, h. 25 March 1414, being aged 7 years and 43 weeks at his Father's death, making proof of his age (1435-36) 14 H«n. VI, Ho was sum. to Pari, as a Baron, 19 Dee. 1436 to 20 Jan. 1452/3.(«) In 29 Hen. VI (1450-51) he was one of an Embassy to King James of Scotland. He m. Joan, da. of Thomas (Dacre), Lord Dacre de Gillesland, by Philippa da. of Ralph (Nkvill), Eahl ok Westmorland. He was slain, ex parte Regis, at the battle of St. Albans, 22 May 1454, aged 40, and was bur. in the Abbey chnrch there. IX. 1454, 0. Joiin (Clifford), Lord de Clifford, Sheriff of to Westmorland, s. and h., aged 20 at his father's death, making proof of 14(51 his age (1455-56) 34 Hen. He was sum. to Pari, as a Baron, 30 July 1460,C) by writ directed " Join Clifford, D'no de Olyfford, Chivaler." In Feb. 1458 he was "with a grete power " demanding compensation for his father's death. Gov. of Penrith Castle, and Commissary Gen. of the Scotch Marches. He was one of the Lancastrian leaders at the battle of Wakefield (Dec. 1460), where " for slaughter of men he was called ike Butcher.^) On 28 March 1461, the eve of the day previous to the fatal battle of Towton, he was slain by a chance arrow, close to that field, and is supposed to have been bur. in the pit with those who were there slain. On 4 Nov. following he was attainted, whereby his peerage was forfeited, and his estates confiscated.( d ) He m. Margaret, da. and h. of Henry (de Bromflete), Lord de Vessy, by Eleanor, da. of William (Fitjihugh), Lord FrrzHucn. On her father's death s.p.m., 6 Jan. 1468, she appears to have considered herself entitled to the Barony of de Vessy.(°) She m. (as her 2nd husband) Sir Lancelot TiirelkkLD of Threlkeld, co. Cumberland, and d. 12 April 1493, being bur. at Londesborough, co. York. X. 1485. 10. Henry Clifford, s. and h. b. about 1454. His existenco, was (for security against the disfavour with which his family was regarded by the reigning house), concealed by his mother, he being brought up, it is said, as a Shepherd. On the accession of Henry VII, he was Knigh- ted, his attainder reversed, 9 Nov. 1485, whereby he became LOUD CLIFFORD, or BE CLIFFORD, and his estates restored. He was smn. to Pari, as a Baron, 15 Sep. 1485 to 16 Jany. 1496-7 ; but he seldom " came to Court, or London," residing chiefly at Burden tower, near Bolton, and devoting his energies to astronomy and astrology. He fought at Flodden, 9 Sep. 1513 ; capturing 3 pieces of orduauce to grace his castle uf Skipton. In 1522, he contributed no less than 1000 marks for the French Expedition. He in., firstly, before 1493, Ann, da. of Sir John St. John, of Bletso, Beds, by Alice, dx of Sir Thomas BradsHaw, of Haigh, co. Lancaster. This Lady was first cousin, by the half-blood, to the King.( f ) He m. secondly, Florence, widow of Sir Thomas (») There is proof, in the Rolls of Pari., of his sitting. ( b ) Born 8 April 1430, according to Lady Pembroke's MS. Memoirs, but there are reasons for doubting so early a date, which also his Father's age makes improbable. See " Collins " VI, p. 518, note "g." ( c ) See "Leland." According to "Hall" (who wrote some 80 or 90 years afterwards) followed by "Holinshed" and later historians, and immortalised by " Shakespeare," it was this " Bloody Clifford " who slew, in cold blood after the battle, the young Earl of Rutland (s. of the Duke of York), and even (according to " Shakes- peare " ) the Duke of York himself, whom however, more reliable authority represents as slain in the battle, tho' his head (according to Holinshed) was cut off after death by Lord Clifford, crowned with paper and sent to Margaret, the Queen Consort. ( d ) The great Lordship of Westmorland was granted to Richard, Duke of Gloucester ; the Barony of Skipton to Sir William Stanley, &c. (») The peerage of de Vessy had however become extinct, having been expressly limited to the heirs male of the body of the grantee, by the writ, 24 Jan. 1448/9, under which it originated ; a singular (and indeed, in England, unique) instance of such limitation in a Barony CP. by wnt. ( r ) Her grandmother Margaret Beauchamp, (who m. firstly Sir^Oliver St. John) m. secondly John (Beaufort), Duko of Somerset, whose da. and h., Margaret, was mother of Henry VII. see tabular ped. in voL i, p. 363 note "e," U 2