Despite a public campaign for a Royal pardon, in which he received the assistance of Samuel Johnson, he was hanged at Tyburn for forgery.

He married impulsively on 15 April 1751, to Mary Perkins, daughter of a domestic servant, leaving his finances in an even more precarious position.

He caused an anonymous letter to be sent to Lady Apsley,[4] wife of the Lord Chancellor, offering her £3,000 to secure the position.

He became an object of public ridicule, and was taunted as Dr Simony in a play by Samuel Foote in the Haymarket Theatre.

[1] In The Luck of Barry Lyndon, Thackeray has his protagonist refer to meeting "Dr Simony" in Soho and to a friendship with Foote.

The following faithful description of the last moments and ignominious death of the clever writer and "fashionable parson" Dr. Dodd, for forgery in the year 1777, is taken from some interesting papers on that gifted but unhappy man in the Dublin University Magazine for the month: When they went to call the hapless criminal, he did not at first recollect what was to take place, but presently on its coming back upon him, suffered the most dreadful horror "and agony of mind," and became outrageously vehement in his speech and looks; but on coming out of the chapel his face was seen to exhibit the greatest calmness and composure.

Mr. Villette, who filled the dreadful office of "Ordinary of Newgate," attended on him, together with the chaplain of Magdalen, Mr. Dobey.

In the vestry they met the other criminal, who was to suffer also – Harris, the youth convicted for the "two half-sovereigns and some silver," and who had attempted suicide in his cell.

He then put on his night cap himself, and upon him taking it he certainly had a smile on his countenance, and very soon afterwards there was an end of all his hopes and fears on this side the grave."

As the unhappy man got out of the coach by which he was conveyed to Tyburn, and entered the cart, a heavy shower of rain fell, during which an umbrella was held over his head, which Gilly Williams, who was present, observed was quite unnecessary, as the doctor was going to a place where he might be dried.He wrote several published works, including poems, a novel, and theological tracts.

'But, Sir, (said I,) you contributed to the deception; for when Mr. Seward expressed a doubt to you that it was not Dodd's own, because it had a great deal more force of mind in it than any thing known to be his, you answered, --"Why should you think so?