Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 31 January 2019), December 1706, trial of ROBERT Fielding (t17061206-1)

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

text excerpt

[Robert Fielding (aka Beau or Handsome Fielding) was a notorious womaniser and bigamist. After the death of a first wife, he married two women: Mary Wadsworth, having been tricked into thinking she was Anne Deleau, a wealthy heiress, and then Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland. He was found guilty of bigamy on 6 December 1706. The trial lasted nearly a year; an account of the scandal was published in 1708. The listening experience occurs at an encounter early in Fielding’s pursuit of Anne Deleau.]

ROBERT Fielding, Esq; was Indicted for that, heon the 25th Day of Nov 1705. did Feloniously take to him to Wife Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland, his First Wife [Wadsworth] being then alive. The First Evidence for the Queen, and the only one to Prove the Fact was Mrs. Villars […] [who]  further deposed, that she promis'd to persuade Mrs. Deleau to come privately to his Lodgings in the Pell Mell; that after she had been there a while, he should come in and make an Improvement of his fortunate coming in that Happy Minute: But when the Time appointed came, instead of Mrs. Deleau, Mrs. Wadsworth appeared in her Shape, with a Mourning Coach, and Widows Habit. She had not been there long, but in comes Mr. Fielding, wonderfully surprized with Joy to see his Lady there; that he made his Addresses to her after a very Passionate Manner, and that he entertained the Lady with a Treat, and some Italian and English Songs, sung by Margaretta, whom he sent for, for that Purpose[.]

excerpt from 'Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 31 January 2019), December 1706, trial of ROBERT Fielding (t17061206-1)' (253 words)

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