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GEsture is a certaine comely moderacion of the coun∣tenaunce,* 1.1 and al other partes of mans body, apte∣ly agreeyng to those thynges whiche are spoken▪ That if wee shall speake in a pleasaunt matter, it is meete that the loke also should be chereful, and al the gesture stir∣ryng
thereafter. The heade to be holden vpright, the fore∣head without frownyng, the browes without bendyng, the nose without blowyng, the iyes quicke and pleasaunt, the lippes not laid out, the tethe without grennyng, the armes not muche cast abrode, but comely set out, as time, and cause shal best require: the handes somtymes opened, and someti∣mes holde together, the fingers pointyng, the brest laid out, and the whole body stirryng altogether with a seemely mo∣deracion. By the whiche behauiour of our body after suche a sorte, we shal not onely delite men with the sight, but per∣swade them the rather the truth of our cause.
Q. Hortensius had suche delite to vse comely gesture,* 1.2 & had suche grace in that behaulfe: that I doubt whether men had a greater desire to see hym, than they had to heare hym. His countenaunce so wel agreed with his wordes, and his woordes were so meete for his contenaunce, that not one∣ly he did please the iudgement of his hearers, and contented their mynde: but also he pleased their iyes, and delited their eares, so muche as could be wished.
Tullie saith well: The gesture of man, is the speache of his bodie, and therfore reason it is, that lyke as the speache must agree to the matter, so must also the gesture agree to the mynde. for, the iyes are not geuen to man onely to se, but also to shewe, and set forth the meanyng of his mynde, euen as vnto a Bore are geuen briselles: to a Lyon, the taile: to a horse, his cares: whereby their inclinacions and soubdeine affections are sone espied. When we see a man loke redde in the iyes, his browes bent, his teeth bytyng his vpper lip, we iudge that he is out of pacience. Therefore as we ought to haue good regarde for the vt∣teraunce of our wordes, so we ought to take hede that our gesture be comely, the whiche bothe beyng wel obserued, shal euerease fame and gette estimacion vni∣uersally.
But heare an end. And now as my wil hath been earnest to doe my beste: so I wishe that my paines may bee taken thereafter. And yet what needes wishyng, seeyng the good will not speake euill, and the wicked can not speake well. Therfore beyng staied vpon the good, and assured of their ientle bearyng with me: I feare none, because I stande vpon a saufe grounde.
Gesture what it is.
Hortensius.