# Lord Clifford — Henry VI, Part II character guide

> Lord Clifford in Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** old Clifford, Clifford, Young Clifford

**First appearance:** 0000-henry-vi-part-ii

## Snapshot

An old Lancastrian lord whose fierce loyalty to the house of Lancaster will harden into a blood feud with York.

## Who they are

Clifford stands among the king's party at court, a nobleman of the old allegiance whose temper runs hotter than Henry's mild rule can contain. He is the kind of retainer whose personal devotion to a royal house becomes indistinguishable from personal vengeance. His presence in the early scenes foreshadows the vendetta that will poison the next generation of English politics.

## In the story

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-v)

Mentioned as Lord Scales, commanding the Tower and coordinating defense against Cade's rebels.

### [Scene VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-viii)

Persuades the rebels to abandon Cade by invoking the memory of Henry V and appealing to their patriotism.

### [Scene IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ix)

Enters with Buckingham and reports that Cade has fled and his forces have yielded.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Clifford remains loyal to King Henry and confronts York and Warwick.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Old Clifford is slain by York; his son Young Clifford discovers his body.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters/lord_clifford
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/henry_vi_part_ii_se/characters