This text claims to be the speech given by Thomas Coppock before his execution for his involvement in the 1745 Siege of Carlisle. It was common for Jacobites to construct and collect the dying speeches of Jacobite martyrs; this is not a text that would have been collected by Jacobites, however. An anonymous author appears to have fabricated and published it to spread fear and hatred of Jacobitism. It details an account of Coppock’s youth, work within the Anglican church, and involvement with the Jacobite cause, concluding with a confession of guilt, deep regret, and a warning to others not to involve themselves with Jacobites. It highlights how the Jacobites were perceived by their political opponents: preying on lost souls to fight for their illegitimate cause. The narrative is a fabrication, but Thomas Coppock was a real Jacobite who was found guilty of high treason and executed in 1746. Other accounts of Coppock’s involvement with the Jacobites paint a different picture. At his execution, Coppock reportedly declared that he wished to aid in the restoration of the “royal and illustrious house of Stuart,” and referred to George II as a “foreigner, a tyrant, and a usurper.” 

The genuine dying speech of the reverend parson Coppock : pretended Bishop of Carlisle: Who was drawn, hanged and quartered there, Oct. 18. 1746, for High Treason and Rebellion ; Containing an Account of his Education, his Method of obtaining Orders, the Motives of his going into the Rebellion, and the Conduct of some of his Brethren, with many other curious Particulars. Publish'd by Parson Coppock's Order, for the Satisfaction of the Publick.) by Thomas Coppock. Carlisle : Printed by Thomas Harris, and sold by J. Robinson, near Ludgate, London, and by the hawkers there, [1746]. 31 pages; 18 cm. Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library (s0412b21)

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