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
Elizabeth Woodville was going to marry his beautiful and young niece Elizabeth of York. In 1485, Henry Tudor invaded England and defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. As King, Henry VII married Elizabeth of York and had the Titulus Regius revoked and all found copies destroyed. Elizabeth Woodville was accorded the title and honours of a queen dowager. Scholars differ about why Dowager Queen Elizabeth spent the last five years of her life living at Bermondsey Abbey, to which she retired on 12 February 1487. Among her modern biographers, David Baldwin believes that Henry VII forced her retreat from