Gesturing at Authority: Deciphering the Gestural Code of Early Modern England
John Walter
To interpret and account for a gesture is to unlock the whole social cultural system of which it part. 1 WARWICK SCHOOL CODE ( c .1959) 1. GENERAL 1.—BEHAVIOUR. Behave well, but naturally. Walk briskly, don’t slouch, eat in streets. Take trouble speak well be courteous. On pavement, give inside women children. … 3.—CAPPING. Cap properly visitors (use discretion) 2 In 1549, eastern England experienced major rebellion saw thousands commoners march on provincial capital Norwich, then England's second city, proceed set up an alternative royal government. Known subsequently after its leader as Kett's rebellion, two moments capture politics behind this protest. one, Kett sits raised platform (dais?) underneath oak tree—‘the reformation’—and dispenses justice those brought stand before him, including captured local gentlemen. other, herald arrives proclaim pardon rebels condition that they disperse. This met, initially, with appropriate gestural response: ‘every one uncovering their heads, [and] were mouth consent all at once most part ) cried, God save King Edward, Edward’. But Herald had finished, unnamed, ‘ungracious’, young boy responded somewhat differently offer pardon. ‘Putting down his breeches [he] shewed bare buttockes did filthy act: adding thereunto more words’. 3
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