[AINSWORTH (William)] — The Scarborough Guide,

Scarborough: Printed and Sold by Thomas Coultas, 1815. Small 8vo, large folding engraved map frontispiece, one further engraved double-page map, 2 woodcut plates, contemporary quarter calf, marbled boards, vellum tips, joints and spine cracked. “This Guide-book is curious from the circumstance of being written by JOHN HATFIELD, a notorious swindler. During a visit to Keswick, in Cumberland, on a fishing-party, he took up his residence at a small ale-house, kept by Mr. Robinson, calling himself the Hon. A. A. Hope, Member for Dumfries. Here he paid his addresses to a young lady of fortune, who was at Keswick at the same time. Failing of success, in consequence of the interference of one of her friends, and fearing an exposure if he persisted, he made all haste to gain the hand of his landlord's daughter Mary, commonly called the Maid of Buttermere, and married her publicly by licence, at the Parish Church, October 2, 1802. He then persuaded some of the credulous inhabitants to cash several of his drafts, and left the village on a tour; but returned shortly after, when Sir F. Vane granted a warrant for his apprehension, which obliged him to fly the place, under the pretext of fishing on the lake,-not, however, without getting another of his drafts cashed. Mary was now left at Buttermere, and in an old trunk, which belonged to her vicious husband, discovered a number of letters which disclosed a dark tissue of crimes, and, amongst others, that of bigamy. The report of so great a man as Colonel Hope marrying a poor young woman in Cumberland was speedily contradicted in the public papers, and soon afterwards an advertisement appeared, declaring him an impostor, swindler, and felon, offering a reward of £50 for his apprehension, and giving an accurate description of his person. Within a few days he was apprehended near Brecknock, brought to London and lodged in Bridewell, and underwent several examinations before Sir R. Ford, at Bow Street, where his long course of villainy was brought to light. On Monday, August 15th, he was tried at Carlisle, before Baron Thompson, on the charges of having used the name of the Hon. Alex. Aug. Hope for fraudulent purposes, and having forged bills under the same name, was found guilty, and condemned to the gallows. Neither Mary nor another wife could be prevailed upon to prosecute him for bigamy, and upon this charge he accordingly escaped. He met his death with great calmness and resignation, having passed the time subsequent to his conviction in reading, writing, and the offices of religion.”—Boyne. Provenance: Bookplate of James & Susanna W. Bissell. Boyne, p. 199.