Thoughts Prison by William Dodd, Signed (1 results)

Original period 1/4 leather & marble paper boards, gilt blocked black title label to spine 8vo, iii, 72,81-206,209-232, 2 pp advertisements ( The pagination is irregular as with all known copies , but text and register are continuous ) In February 1777 , William Dodd forged a bond for £4200 in the name of his former pupil , Lord Chesterfield, to clear his debts, Trusting the honesty of the clergyman , the bond was encashed by a third party , but it was disowned by the Earl. The forgery was discovered , Dodd admitted his fault , and begged to make amends. He was imprisoned , convicted and sentenced to death , Samuel Johnson wrote several papers in his defence and some 23,000 people signed a petition seeking a pardon. Dodd was publicly hanged at Tyburn on 27 June 1777 . This work was written while he was in Newgate Prison awaiting execution. A Vg bright copy.