Lord Newark’s speech to the Nottinghamshire militia in Newark on 13th July 1642 is an example of political propaganda. It was intended to drum up support for the Royalist cause at the start of the Civil War.
Activity
Listen to and/or read Lord Newark’s speech, then answer the following questions:
- What does Lord Newark want the ‘trained bands’ of Nottinghamshire to do? What political cause is he trying to promote? Can you pick out some words from the speech to show this?
- What techniques does Lord Newark use to try to persuade the people listening to his speech to take up arms for the King?
- Can you pick out any words or phrases used by Lord Newark that shows he is biased towards the King?
If you’d like to find out more about Lord Newark’s speech and even have a go at writing your own rousing speech, visit the Choosing Sides section.