he obtained through his mother part of the extensive land of the
Viponts, and thus became one of the most powerful barons of his age. A
prominent soldier during the reigns of Edward I. and Edward II.,
Clifford was summoned to parliament as a baron in 1299, won great renown
at the siege of Carlaverock Castle in 1300, and after taking part in the
movement against Edward II.'s favourite, Piers Gaveston, was killed at
Bannockburn. His son Roger, the 2nd baron (1299-1322), shared in the
rebellion of Thomas, earl of Lancaster, and was probably executed at
York on the 23rd of March 1322. Robert's grandson Roger, the 5th baron
(1333-1389), and the latter's son Thomas, the 6th baron (c. 1363-c.
1391), served the English kings on the Scottish borders and elsewhere.
The same is true of Thomas, the 8th baron (1414-1455), who was killed at
the first battle of St Albans in May 1455.

Thomas's son John, the 9th baron (c. 1435-1461), was more famous. During
the Wars of the Roses he fought for Henry VI., earning by his cruelties
the name of the "butcher"; after the battle of Wakefield in 1460 he
murdered Edmund, earl of Rutland, son of Richard, duke of York,
exclaiming, according to the chronicler Edward Hall, "By God's blood thy
father slew mine; and so will I do thee and all thy kin." Shakespeare
refers to this incident in _King Henry VI._, and also represents
Clifford as taking part in the murder of York. It is, however,
practically certain that York was slain during the battle, and not
afterwards like his son. Clifford was killed at Ferrybridge on the 28th
of March 1461, and was afterwards attainted. His young son Henry, the
10th baron (c. 1454-1523), lived disguised as a shepherd for some years,
hence he is sometimes called the "shepherd lord." On the accession of
Henry VII. the attainder was reversed and he received his father's
estates. He spent a large part of his time at Barden in Lancashire,
being interested in astronomy and astrology. Occasionally, however, he
visited London, and he fought at the battle of Flodden in 1513. This
lord, who died on the 23rd of April 1523, is celebrated by Wordsworth in
the poems "The white doe of Rylstone" and "Song at the feast of Brougham
Castle." Henry, the 11th baron, was created earl of Cumberland in 1525,
and from this time until the extinction of the title in 1643 the main
line of the Cliffords was associated with the earldom of Cumberland
(q.v.).

Richard Clifford, bishop of Worcester a