(1738 - 1740) Relationship with child
1. Susannah Maria (Molly) (1740)
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Intrigue pursues thee ... Sadly Cibber's marriage was not a happy one. Her husband was reportedly abusive and a profligate spender, and even began selling off some of his wife's wardrobe and personal effects to deter creditors, though he also considerably refined her acting. In order to pay rent, the Cibbers took in a wealthy tenant named William Sloper. The resultant relationship between these three people led to a notorious lawsuit in 1738, in which Cibber accused his wife and Sloper of adultery. Various versions of the scandal suggest that all three may have been involved in a ménage à trois. One account states that Cibber forced his wife at gunpoint to sleep with Sloper; another places a spy in a closet at the scene of one of their trysts, in order to gather testimony for the lawsuit. In any event, Cibber was awarded a paltry £10 in damages. The following year, Cibber brought a second case against Sloper for "detaining" his wife. In fact, Mrs Cibber and Sloper had run off together, and had a daughter, Susannah Maria (Molly). This time Cibber was awarded £500.