diately instituted by the friends of the Duchess, of which the result was a determination to prosecute Fielding for bigamy. Accordingly, on the 4th of December, 1706, he was placed at the bar of the Old Bailey, charged, in a formal indictment, with having intermarried Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland, his former wife, Mary Wadsworth, being still alive. From the evidence elicited at the trial, there transpired the singular fact that Fielding, within the short space of sixteen days, had been united to two different women. His marriage with Mary Wadsworth took place on the 9th of November, 1705; his union with the Duchess of Cleveland on the 25th of the same month.

The circumstances connected with the case render it not a little amusing, and perhaps will excuse our introducing them somewhat in detail. It appears, then, that a young widow, a Mrs. Deleau, had been left, or was reputed to have been left, a large fortune, and that Fielding, tempted by the rumours of her wealth, had conceived the project of making her his wife. As yet he was unacquainted with even her person; but having paid a visit to Doctors' Commons, and discovering that report had not exaggerated her fortune, he speedily concerted his plans for obtaining an interview.

The next step of the fortune-hunter was to pay a visit to Mrs. Deleau's seat at Waddon, where, under a pretence of being desirous to inspect the house and gardens, he was politely admitted

by the owner. It seems that he was disappointed in his object of obtaining an interview with the widow; however, at the moment he was quitting the premises, observing a lady at the window, whom he conceived to be Mrs. Deleau, he gave her full opportunity of admiring his handsome person, and retired firmly persuaded he had made the impression he wished. On another occasion, we find him attending a horse-race on Banstead Downs, with a view of being formally presented to the widow, but, from some accident, Mrs. Deleau was prevented from being present. He even went so far as to address a letter to her; but her servants, either aware of his character, or probably not having been softened by a bribe of sufficient magnitude, allowed it to pass no further than themselves.

It appears by the evidence produced on Fielding's trial, that, in the first stage of the proceedings, he applied to a Mrs. Streights for her assistance as a go-between. Mrs. Streights, on her part, referred him to a Mrs. Charlotte Villars, whose only acquaintance with Mrs. Deleau, was having been sent for by her, on one occasion, to cut her hair. This latter fact, however, Mrs. Villars, (who appears to have been a woman of the worst character,) carefully concealed from Fielding, and pretending that, from her intimacy with the widow, she was able materially to assist him in his views, obtained from him a promise of five hundred pounds, in the event of Mrs. Deleau becoming his wife.

Such was the commencement of a very ingenious plot, which was subsequently conducted with the most extraordinary success. Mrs. Vil

lars having, in the first instance, procured the connivance of a young woman, named Mary Wadsworth, (whose morals appear to have been almost as indifferent as her own, but who, fortunately, somewhat resembled Mrs. Deleau in person,) she waited in due time on Fielding, and informed him that she had introduced the subject of his wishes to the widow. Mrs. Deleau, she said, had, in the first instance, refused to listen to her entreaties and arguments, but had latterly given them more favourable attention: to this she added her own conviction, that if the affair were managed with proper prudence, it would eventually terminate as he wished.

Part of Mrs. Villars' plot, (and it is extraordinary that she should have succeeded in so completely deluding and mystifying a man of the world,) was to obtain valuable presents from Fielding, which she persuaded him were duly delivered to Mrs. Deleau. She herself admits in her evidence at the trial,-" Diverse presents were sent from Mr. Fielding by me to the lady. The first present was a gold apron, stuck with green. That was the first present Mr. Fielding sent to Mrs. Wadsworth, whom he thought was Mrs. Deleau all the while; but it was Mrs. Wadsworth. I did not think Mrs. Deleau, who was a great fortune, would agree to marry a man of Mr. Fielding's character. Mr. Fielding kept

sending of letters and presents from that time, from the latter end of Bartholomew-tide to my Lord Mayor's day: he sent her a suit of white satin knots, and gloves, and other things."

At length, having wearied the patience, and probably, very nearly exhausted the finances, of the adventurer, Mrs. Villars informed him, to his great satisfaction, that Mrs. Deleau had at last consented to an interview, and that, in a few days, she would conduct her to his lodgings in Pall Mall. "He desired," she says, in her evidence, "that I would bring her to his lodgings on Lord Mayor's day, at night, which I did about nine o'clock, in a mourning-coach. Mr. Fielding was not at home, but came immediately. When he came in, he fell down upon his knees, and kissed her, and expressed abundance of fond expressions. He asked her why she staid so long,— and whether she loved singing? He said he would send for Margaruita* to come up. When she came up, Mr. Fielding bid her sing the two songs he loved; which she did: the one was, Charming Creature,' — and the other, Ianthe

6

* A well-known singer at the Opera. According to Mrs. Manley, the Earl of Nottingham purchased her favours for four thousand pounds, and afterwards bought her silence for a similar sum.—New Atalantis, vol. i. pp, 187, 188. Swift mentions her in a letter to Stella from Windsor, 1711:-"We have a music-meeting in our town to-night. I went to the rehearsal of it, and there was Margaruita and her sister, and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers; I was weary, and would not go to the meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it was a great assembly."-Journal to Stella, 6th of August, 1711.

the lovely.' After which Mr. Fielding sent for two pints of wine, and some plum-cakes."

Mr. Montague, who had been retained as counsel for the prosecution, in his opening speech at the trial, thus describes the interview and subsequent proceedings :-"The prisoner was not within at the time they came there, but, being sent for, came in soon after, and was extremely complacent for some time; but at length, though he had been cautioned not to let the lady know they were his lodgings, yet he could not forbear showing her his fine clothes, and what furniture he had; and a little time after sent for Mrs. Margaruita to sing to her, and pretended he was so extremely taken with her, that nothing would satisfy him but being married that night. But she, with a seeming modesty, checked his forward behaviour, and made a show of going away in displeasure; but, before they parted, he prevailed upon her to promise not to put off their marriage longer than Wednesday se'nnight. Mr. Fielding rightly judged by this conversation what an interest he had fixed in the lady, and looking upon himself to be sure of her, he actually went to a goldsmith and bespoke a ring,* and directed himself what posie should be engraved. When the day came, which had first been agreed on, sham pretences were made, not to seem over hasty in so serious a matter, and the marriage was put off till the Friday following; at which time, Mrs.

* At Fielding's express desire, the motto "tibi soli" was engraved on the wedding ring.