Her biographers have hinted at least one flirtation, possibly of a harmless description, before she arrived at the age of seventeen, when she threw in her future with Mr. Joseph Clarke, the hopeful son of a wealthy builder and contractor in Snow Hill. After a union of many years, during which she had experienced various vicissitudes, we find that the misconduct of her husband, who seems, on the whole—from the accounts of some of his contemporaries—to have done his best to deserve the treatment he received, although there are two sides to this story, determined the fascinating Mary Ann to trust to her own resources for support.
During her tenure of the 'neutral territory,' the name of more than one gentleman of gallant reputation and of rank was coupled with her own; but passing over the list of her admirers, we must mention a certain Mr. Dowler (whose name occurred frequently during the investigation), who seems to have had more faithful regard for the lady than her other doubtful lights of love. Mrs. Clarke further became ambitious of shining on a larger scale, and she had the honour of appearing on the boards of the Haymarket Theatre in the character of Portia. Great praise was awarded her performance; her natural abilities, with a certain vivacity, added to a well modulated voice and graceful action, were sufficient to qualify her for a successful actress; but she felt that her proper stage was the world, and she merely secured her introduction to the histrionic profession as an experiment towards promoting the foundation of her future fortunes, and her object in this regard seems to have been secured and her plans were successfully realised.
[13] Minutes of Evidence; and Annual Register, 1809.
[14] Mr. Burton's defence. Minutes of Evidence.
[15] Gentleman's Magazine.
[16] Colonel Wardle had promised, or clearly given it to be understood by Mrs. Clarke, that he would furnish a house for her at Westbourne Place, in part payment for her services in the prosecution of the Duke of York. Colonel Wardle, afterwards finding it convenient to deny that he had come under any such obligation, was sued at law by an upholsterer who had furnished the house; and, on the evidence of Mrs. Clarke and the upholsterer's brother, obliged to pay about 2000l., with costs. The day after judgment was given in this cause, Colonel Wardle published, in several newspapers, a note addressed to the people of the three kingdoms, declaring before God and his country that a verdict had been obtained against him only through perjury. During the progress of the trial, the colonel had written to his men of law again and again, desiring that Major Dodd, Mr. James Glennie, heretofore of the corps of engineers, and other respectable witnesses, should be examined; but the lawyers thought this unnecessary. The evidence of Mrs. Clarke, and of the brother of the upholsterer, on oath, would be overthrown by that of the respectable witnesses whom he had to bring forward on a second trial for which he had made application. But if so, what is to be thought of the evidence of Mrs. Clarke against the Duke of York?—Annual Register, 1809.
[17] March 23, 1809.—The Speaker put the question: 'That it is the opinion of this House that General Clavering in the said evidence is guilty of prevarication,' which was agreed to without a division; and General Clavering was ordered to be forthwith taken into the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms.
March 24.—The Serjeant-at-Arms, having reported that General Clavering was in custody, Mr. W. Wynne moved, 'That, for his prevarication before the Committee of the whole House, General Clavering be now committed to Newgate, and the speaker do issue his warrant accordingly;' which was agreed to.
March 27.—Mr. Fane presented a petition from Captain Sandon, which, after stating his services in the army for upwards of thirty years in various parts of the globe, concludes with apologising for his conduct at the Bar of that House, by attributing it to the hardships he had recently undergone in Spain, combined with an injury sustained on the brain some time since, and the novelty of his situation when called on to give evidence.
March 28.—On the motion of Mr. Fane, Captain Huxley Sandon was called to the Bar; and, after a very impressive reprimand from Mr. Speaker, was ordered to be discharged out of custody on paying the fees.