Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers
Encyclopedia
Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers (c. 1440 – 25 June 1483) was an English nobleman, courtier, and writer.
He was the eldest son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers
and Jacquetta of Luxembourg
. Like his father, he was originally a Lancastrian
, fighting on that side at the Battle of Towton
, but later became a Yorkist
. The Yorkists, fighting for Edward IV, were defeated at the Battle of Edgecote Moor
, on 26 July 1469, and Richard Woodville and his second son John were taken prisoners at Chepstow
. After a hasty and controvesial trial, they were both beheaded at Kenilworth
on 12 August 1469 and Anthony succeeded his father in the earldom.
Rivers became very influential at the royal court after his sister Elizabeth
married Edward IV
. He is known to have been a great tournament champion, who once fought a two-day "duel" with Antoine, bastard of Burgundy
. He joined the king in his temporary exile in 1470, and returned with him the next year, where he was wounded at the Battle of Barnet
.
He was married to Elizabeth de Scales, Baroness Scales in her own right, daughter of Thomas de Scales
, 7th Baron Scales, and widow of Henry Bourchier, younger son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
. After his wife's death in 1473, Anthony was summoned to Parliament in her right as Baron Scales. He was subsequently married to Mary, daughter of Henry Fitz-Lewis, but both marriages produced no issue.
Also in 1473, King Edward IV appointed Rivers Governor of the Prince of Wales
' household, and Rivers went with the prince to Ludlow Castle
. He was also appointed High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire
for life. His duties included the administration of justice throughout the principality
. When the king died suddenly in 1483, Rivers was ordered by his sister to bring the Prince of Wales, now King Edward V, straight back to London
under an armed guard. They were intercepted by Richard, Duke of Gloucester
, who arrested the Earl, along with his nephew Richard Grey
, the young king's half-brother. Both men were imprisoned and then beheaded at Pontefract Castle
on 25 June 1483 as part of the duke's path towards kingship (as Richard III).
Rivers was evidently quite learned, and no doubt had learned excellent French from his mother. He had met the earliest English printer William Caxton
when in exile in Bruges
, and there in 1475-6 Caxton published Cordyale, or Four last thinges, Rivers' English translation from the French of Jean Miélot
of Les quattres choses derrenieres, itself a translation of the Cordiale quattuor novissimorum. After both of them had returned to England, one of the first, if not the first, books printed in England was Rivers' translation from French of the Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers
, printed by Caxton at Westminster in 1477. Lambeth Palace
Library has a manuscript illustration showing Rivers presenting a copy of this book to Edward IV.
Anthony was succeeded as earl by his brother, Richard
.
He was the eldest son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers
Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers
Richard Woodville , 1st Earl Rivers, KG was an English nobleman, best remembered as the father of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV....
and Jacquetta of Luxembourg
Jacquetta of Luxembourg
Jacquetta of Luxembourg was the elder daughter of Peter I, Count of St Pol, Conversano and Brienne and his wife Margaret de Baux...
. Like his father, he was originally a Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, fighting on that side at the Battle of Towton
Battle of Towton
In 1461, England was in the sixth year of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. The Lancastrians backed the reigning King of England, Henry VI, an indecisive man who suffered bouts of madness...
, but later became a Yorkist
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
. The Yorkists, fighting for Edward IV, were defeated at the Battle of Edgecote Moor
Battle of Edgecote Moor
The Battle of Edgecote Moor took place 6 miles northeast of Banbury , England on 26 July 1469 during the Wars of the Roses. The site of the battle was actually Danes Moor in Northamptonshire, at a crossing of a tributary of the River Cherwell. The battle pitted the forces of Richard Neville, 16th...
, on 26 July 1469, and Richard Woodville and his second son John were taken prisoners at Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
. After a hasty and controvesial trial, they were both beheaded at Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
on 12 August 1469 and Anthony succeeded his father in the earldom.
Rivers became very influential at the royal court after his sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
married Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. He is known to have been a great tournament champion, who once fought a two-day "duel" with Antoine, bastard of Burgundy
Antoine, bastard of Burgundy
Anthony , known to his contemporaries as "the bastard of Burgundy" or "the Grand Bastard - le grand bâtard" - was the natural son of Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, and one of his mistresses, Jeanne de Presle.-Life:...
. He joined the king in his temporary exile in 1470, and returned with him the next year, where he was wounded at the Battle of Barnet
Battle of Barnet
The Battle of Barnet was a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England. The military action, along with the subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury, secured the throne for Edward IV...
.
He was married to Elizabeth de Scales, Baroness Scales in her own right, daughter of Thomas de Scales
Thomas de Scales
Lord Thomas de Scales or Thomas Scales de Newselles or Thomas Scalles KG , 7th Baron Scales, Knight of the Garter from 1426 was one of the main English commanders in the last twenty years of the Hundred Years' War. The son of Robert de Scales, 5th Baron Scales Lord Thomas de Scales or Thomas Scales...
, 7th Baron Scales, and widow of Henry Bourchier, younger son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 5th Baron Bourchier, 1st Viscount Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , was the eldest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester...
. After his wife's death in 1473, Anthony was summoned to Parliament in her right as Baron Scales. He was subsequently married to Mary, daughter of Henry Fitz-Lewis, but both marriages produced no issue.
Also in 1473, King Edward IV appointed Rivers Governor of the Prince of Wales
Edward V of England
Edward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
' household, and Rivers went with the prince to Ludlow Castle
Ludlow Castle
Ludlow Castle is a large, partly ruined, non-inhabited castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. It stands on a high point overlooking the River Teme...
. He was also appointed High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire
High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Caernarvonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
for life. His duties included the administration of justice throughout the principality
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. When the king died suddenly in 1483, Rivers was ordered by his sister to bring the Prince of Wales, now King Edward V, straight back to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
under an armed guard. They were intercepted by Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
, who arrested the Earl, along with his nephew Richard Grey
Richard Grey
Sir Richard Grey was an English knight and the half-brother of King Edward V of England.Grey was the younger son of Sir John Grey of Groby and Elizabeth Woodville, later Queen Consort of King Edward IV...
, the young king's half-brother. Both men were imprisoned and then beheaded at Pontefract Castle
Pontefract Castle
Pontefract Castle is a castle in the town of Pontefract, in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It was the site of the demise of Richard II of England, and later the place of a series of famous sieges during the English Civil War-History:...
on 25 June 1483 as part of the duke's path towards kingship (as Richard III).
Rivers was evidently quite learned, and no doubt had learned excellent French from his mother. He had met the earliest English printer William Caxton
William Caxton
William Caxton was an English merchant, diplomat, writer and printer. As far as is known, he was the first English person to work as a printer and the first to introduce a printing press into England...
when in exile in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, and there in 1475-6 Caxton published Cordyale, or Four last thinges, Rivers' English translation from the French of Jean Miélot
Jean Miélot
Jean Miélot, also Jehan, was an author, translator, manuscript illuminator, scribe and priest, who served as secretary to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy from 1449 to Philip's death in 1467, and then to his son Charles the Rash. He also served as chaplain to Louis of Luxembourg, Count of St....
of Les quattres choses derrenieres, itself a translation of the Cordiale quattuor novissimorum. After both of them had returned to England, one of the first, if not the first, books printed in England was Rivers' translation from French of the Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers
Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers
Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers is an incunabulum, or early printed book, that was printed by William Caxton and finished on November 18, 1477...
, printed by Caxton at Westminster in 1477. Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
Library has a manuscript illustration showing Rivers presenting a copy of this book to Edward IV.
Anthony was succeeded as earl by his brother, Richard
Richard Woodville, 3rd Earl Rivers
Richard Woodville, 3rd Earl Rivers succeeded his brother, Anthony Woodville, as the third Earl Rivers. He was the son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and was the brother of Elizabeth Woodville, wife and Queen of King Edward IV of England.Richard Woodville was...
.