Historic%20Yorkshire

BLACK-FACED CLIFFORD. 53
perpetrated by Black-faced Clifford, which we proceed to
notice, are explainedas the resultof a desirefor vengeance
on the part of his son. The repellingsobriquets of John
de Clifford may seem strangelyinapplicableto a member
of so illustrious and " gentle"afamily as the Clifford's;
but a glance at the man's life and character cannot fail to
make apparent the appropriatenessof the surnames, for
he was as inhuman as he was courageous, and never
hesitated at the committalof any act, however cruel,if it
assisted in the carryingout ofhis plans. His disposition
was in this respect entirely different from that of his
father;both unflinching in endeavours to establish the
cause they had espoused, the kindliness whichhad predominated
in the nature of John de Clifford was supplanted
in his son John, by sanguinary fierceness and
cruelty.
One of the foulest deeds of whichClifford was guilty
was the murder of the Earl of Rutland during the Battle
of Wakefield; which act, indeed, would be sufficient,
withoutany of the others that have beenlaidtohis charge,
to have justified the title of " Butcher." The Earl, a
youth of seventeen, was with his father, the Duke of
York,in Sandal Castle, and, inheriting the high courage
of his race, insisted upon followinghis father to Wakefield
Green, although his tutor and guardian, a priest
named Aspall, endeavoured to dissuadehim, urging the
great danger to which he wouldbe exposed. We are told
the youth exclaimed,"I will go and see myfatherkillthe
cruel Queen ; and, whenIam a man,Iwill go and fight
and killhis enemies too. * * * Think not, sir priest,
that a son of Richardof York is afraid of an arrow! Stay
under shelter of these walls like a craven priest if you
will;Iwill go and see the deeds of men who are men!"
He went accordingly in the charge of his tutor, and the
consequenceswere sad and serious. Hall,in his account
ofthe conflict, says: — "Whilst this battle was fighting, a
priest called Sir Robert Aspall, chaplain and schoolmaster
to the young Earl of Rutland, son to the above-named