Elizabeth Woodville, Countess Rivers Elizabeth Woodville, Countess Rivers Elizabeth Woodville, Countess Rivers and 8th Baroness Scales (died 2 September 1473), born Elizabeth de Scales, was the sole heir of Thomas Scales, 7th Baron Scales. Elizabeth first married Henry Bourchier (d. 1462), second son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex. Her second marriage to Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers produced no children. The earl was a sibling of Elizabeth Woodville, queen consort of Edward IV. He became Lord Scales in his wife's right, and was summoned to Parliament by that title. After Elizabeth died in 1473, Anthony married a daughter of Henry FitzLewis named
Edward IV of England of Warwick, due primarily to his marriage. Warwick, acting on Edward's behalf, made preliminary arrangements with King Louis XI of France for Edward to marry either Louis' daughter Anne or his sister-in-law Bona of Savoy. He was humiliated and enraged to discover that, while he was negotiating, Edward had secretly married Elizabeth Woodville, the widow of John Grey of Groby, on 1 May 1464. Edward's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville has been criticised as an impulsive action that did not add anything to the security of England or the York dynasty. A horrified Privy Council told him with unusual frankness, when