See also

Sir Gervase CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock ( - )

1. Sir Gervase CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock, son of John de CLIFTON ( -1403) and Catherine DE CRESSY ( - ), married Isabella FRANCIS.

 

Isabella FRANCIS, daughter of Sir Robert FRANCIS of Foremark ( - ), died on 13 June 1457. She and Gervase CLIFTON had the following children:

 

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Robert CLIFTON ( -1478)

Second Generation

2. Sir Robert CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock, son of Sir Gervase CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock and Isabella FRANCIS, died on 9 April 1478. He married Alice BOTHE.

 

He was the founder of (not the) Clifton College. There is also a brass of Sir Robert in the Church of St. Mary, Clifton: the inscription reads - Orate pro anima Roberti Clyfton militis fundator trill capplor collegii in hac ecclia qui obiit nono die mensis Aprilis anno domini millimo CCCClxxviii cuius anime propiciet de amë.”

TRANSLATION.
“Pray for the soul of Robert Clifton Knight founder of a College for three chantry priests in this church who died the ninth day of the month of April in the year of the Lord 1478 on whose soul may God have mercy.”.

 

Alice BOTHE, daughter of John BOOTH of Barton ( - ) and Joan TRAFFORD ( - ), had the title 'Lady Alice Clifton'. She died on 9 September 1470. She and Robert CLIFTON had the following children:

 

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Gervase CLIFTON (c. 1438-1491)

Third Generation

3. Sir Gervase CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock, son of Sir Robert CLIFTON of Clifton and Hodsock and Alice BOTHE, was born circa 1438 in Clifton, Nottinghamshire. He appeared in the census. He died on 12 May 1491. He married Alice NEVILE.

 

Sir Gervase Clifton, of Clifton and Hodsock was Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby from 1471 to 1477, Receiver-General in those two counties, and Esquire to the body of Edward the Fourth. This gentleman played a prominent part in the disputes between the Yorkists and Lancastrians, and was engaged in the Battle of Tewkesbury. He was thought much of by the Lancastrian party, of whom the Duke of Somerset was the leader, on account of his firm devotion to their cause. This Sir Gervase married a lady of Kent, and was several times Sheriff of that County, and also Lieutenant of Dover Castle, under the Duke of Gloucester. For his faithful services Henry the Sixth conferred upon him the office of Treasurer of Calais and surrounding districts, and on the death of the then Archbishop of Canterbury the temporalities of that See were committed into his hands. He was also governor of several places in France.
He was Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. There is a brass of Sir Gervase in the Church of St. Mary, Clifton:
INSCRIPTION.

“Orate pro aia Gervasii Clyfton militis filii et heredis Robti Clyfton militis ffundator collegii de Clyfton finiti / et stabilit p doni Gervasiu qui obiit in domo fratrum p’dicator apud london duodecimi die mese maii Ao. dni M°CCCC / lxxxxi cui corpus abinde p Agnetam filiain Rob’ti Constable de fflamburgh militis secunde uxor ejusdem / Gervasii et alios ejus executores juxta voluntatem suam istut honorifice et decent conductu fuit et sub hoc lapide / marmoreo hic humatu cuius anime ppiciet deus pro cuius quidem Agnetis pspitate dum vixit et p’ejus anima / cum ab hac luce migravit Speciales ordinantur memorie et oraciones per Gardianum et Capellanos / collegii pdci juxta composicoem et statuta inde ordinat ppetuis futuris temporibus devote fiende.?
TRANSLATION.

“Pray for the soul of Gervase Clyfton Knight son and heir of Robert Clyfton Knight founder of the college of Clyfton completed and firmly established by Sir Gervase who died in the house of the friar preachers in London on May 12th A.D. 1491 whose body by Agnes daughter of Robert Constable of Flamburgh Knight and second wife of the same Gervase and by his other executors according to his wishes was brought hither with honour and seemliness and interred beneath this marble stone here on whose soul may God have mercy; for the prosperity of this Agnes while she lived and for her soul when she departed from this world special memorials and prayers are established to be offered by the Warden and Chaplains of the aforesaid college according to the deed and statutes there laid down as to be faithfully carried out in all future time.?
Sir Gervase Clifton married Miss Mary Nevell on January 17th,, 1530, when Henry VIII. was king, and her father, Sir John, kept an account of the wedding which he provided. Here are a few of the items:?
A DINNER PARTY IN 1530.

Again "the expense of the dinner" shows,

3 Hogsheads of wine ?…£5.5.0
2 Oxen ?? ?.0.0.

Besides these, there are 12 yards of camblet, 6 of cotton, 4 of satin, 3 of lawn, 4 of carley, 2 rolls of buchram, 12 white hare skins, 12 black rabbits' skins, and 30 white lambs' skins which latter however cost but three halfpence each.

" For the apparel of the said Gervase and Mary": ?
27 yards of damask, every yard 8/- ?0.16.0
6 yards of tawney velvet, every yard 14/- ?.4.0
A white fur ?.0.0
3 pairs of gloves ?.2.5
A wedding ring of gold ?.12.4

Besides these, there are 8 cranes, 16 herons, 10 bitterns. 36 capons, 6 wethers, and many wildfowl.
So that the wine for this dinner cost as much as 250 pigs !
The pepper, of which 6 pounds were needed cost 11 shillings, and among the "spices" used were 'sugar, ginger, currants, prunes, dates, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, mace, saffron, isinglass caraways, liquorice, aniseed, green ginger, sucket orange buds, and orange syrup, besides marmalade, comfits and biskits.'

12 Swans, every swan 6s. ?.12.0
60 couple rabbits, every couple 5d. ?.5.0
10 pigs, every pig 5d. ?.4.2
7 calves ?.19.0
7 lambs ?.10.0
4 dozen chickens ?.4.0

This Sir Gervase was, Thoroton says, "An excellent person and of great authority in peace and war, and was so courteous that -he was generally styled Gervase the gentle" a name given originally, it is believed, by the maiden Queen Elizabeth, at whose court Sir Gervase was a favourite, though he had been almost equally eminent at the courts of Henry VIII., Edward VI. and Mary.

 

The Cliftons & The War Of The Roses

The War Of The Roses took place in the later half of the fifteenth century between the house of York ( with the symbol of the white rose ) and the house of Lancaster ( represented by the red rose ). The two houses both laid claim to the throne of England. Sir Gervase Clifton ( then the Sheriff Of Nottingham ) supported the house of York. After Richard III's white rose forces were defeated by Henry VII at the Battle Of Bosworth ( 1485 ), Henry was crowned king and stripped the house of York nobleman of their titles and lands. The Clifton's managed to avoid this fate.

Legend has it that Sir Gervase made a pact with his Lancaster friend, Sir John Byron ( of Colwick, Nottingham ) swore to protect each others lands and titles regardless of the outcome of the war. During the Battle Of Bosworth, Clifton was fatally wounded and his friend found him shortly before he died with Clifton reminding him of his oath. Sir John kept his pledge and spoke up for the Clifton's to Henry VII protecting the Clifton heritage from ruin. The story was put into verse by the poet, Sir John Beamont in his poem, Bosworth Field. Some Historians dispute the tale since Sir Gervase Clifton is believed to have died some time after the battle. It is probably more likely that Byron protected the Clifton estates because his family was linked to the Clifon's by marriage.

 

Alice NEVILE, daughter of Thomas NEVILLE of Rolleston ( - ) and Elizabeth BABINGTON ( - ), was born circa 1442 in Rolleston, Nottinghamshire. She and Gervase CLIFTON had the following children:

 

4

Robert CLIFTON ( - ). Robert was an Archdeacon of York.

5

Gervase CLIFTON ( -1508). Gervase was born in Clifton. He died on 5 June 1508.