The Hanging of William Dodd - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

1777 Voirons: a safe house in France.

The Reverend William Dodd, crippled and mute after hanging and resuscitation, is encouraged by his wife and friend Thicknesse to write his confessions to bring back memory and restore speech.

From an idyllic childhood in Lincolnshire to Cambridge with his friend Lancaster. Dodd earns his keep as a sizer (servant) to Gascoigne and Bulkley. Dodd is drawn to London to be a dandy and author. He marries Mary the cast- off teenage mistress of the Earl Sandwich. He writes The Beauties of Shakespeare.

As a curate in West Ham and city churches he preaches powerful sermons: in favour inoculation, against hanging, for aid for debtors and suicides; publishes a play, two books of moral advice, a saucy novel and several heavy theological tomes. He initiates and supports charities including the Magdalen House for repentant prostitutes. He is appointed Royal Chaplain. Nothing stops Dodd’s lust despite his powerful piety. He is appointed first Chaplain to the Free Masons.

Mixing with the famous – John Wesley and Samuel Johnson will later speak for him - he earns rich rewards but lives and spends more extravagantly. Mary tries to bribe her husband’s way to a wealthy parish. Dodd is disgraced and mocked. He flees to France. There his young pupil Sturdy - now Earl Chesterfield helps Dodd, but on return the parson forges the young Earl’s signature. Arrested and tried (a travesty of justice) Dodd aged 48 is found guilty; hanged at Tyburn and is resuscitated. ‘Sir’ Philip Thicknesse as ever has much to say about this. Those affected by Dodd’s hanging circulate stories of his being seen in various parts of the world….

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