Historic%20Yorkshire

54
BLACK-FACED CLIFFORD.
Duke of York, scarce of the age of 12 years,a fair gentleman
and a maiden-likeperson, perceiving that flight was
safer than tarrying, both forhim and his master, secretly
conveyed the earl out of the field, by the Lord Clifford's
band, towards the town; but ere he could enter into a
house, he was, by the said LordClifford, espied, followed,
and taken, and,by reason ofhis apparel,demanded what
he was. The young gentleman, dismayed, had not a
word to speak, but kneeledon his knees imploringmercy
and desiring grace, both with holding up his hands and
making dolorous countenance, for his speech was gone
for fear. But the cruel " Butcher" had no pityfor the
innocent boy. Shakespeare makes him reply to the
youth's appealas follows: —
Thy father slew mine;therefore die.
Plantagenet!Icome, Plantagenet!
And this thy son's blood, cleaving tomy blade
Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood,
Congealed with his, do make me wipeoff both.
Hall tells us — " Clifford said, ' By God's blood, thy
father slew mine, and so willIdo thee and all thy kin',
and with that word struck the Earl to the heart with his
dagger,and badehis chaplainbear the Earl's mother and
brother word whathe had done and said."
The man who could commit so dastardly an act of
revenge as this was capable of performing the most
barbarous deeds, and such Clifford continued to show
himself. He had sworn to be revenged,and, in accordance
with the spirit of the times, considered his oath
binding. Exulting,no doubt,in the murder ofthe young
Rutland, and glutted with the desire of further revenge,
he took his wayback to the battle-field,and ordered that
search should be made for the body of his great enemy,
the Duke of York, who, it was known, had been slain.
According to Hall, " Clifford came to the place where
the corpse of the Duke of York lay,and caused his head
to be stricken off, and set on it a crownof paper, and so