ABSTRACT
On 22 August 1642, Charles I raised the royal standard at Nottingham, signalling the formal opening of the English Civil War. The raising of the standard refashioned Charles as a partisan leader of a political and military faction, even though he remained the head of government. As Rory Tanner argues that Charles was initially suspicious of political rhetoric and disinclined to engage in public political discourse. It is within this context that Sir John Denham wrote 'A Western Wonder' and 'A Second Western Wonder'. Although Denham follows ballad procedure in the use of narrative, lyricism, and ballad metre, the Western Wonders should be more accurately termed mock-ballads. In contextualising 'A Western Wonder' and 'A Second Western Wonder' within the military and literary context of their production, this reading will demonstrate Denham's understanding of contemporary events and his successful challenge to parliamentary interpretation of the victories and defeats in the West Country.
