Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

And let no man think, that he can escape unpunished, that committeth treason, conspiracy, or rebellion, against his sovereign Lord the King, though he commit the same never so secretly, either in thought, word, or deed: never so privily, in his privy chamber, by himself, or openly communicating, and consulting with other: For treason will not be hid: treason will out at the length. God will have that most detestable vice, both opened and punished, for that it is so directly against his ordinance, and against his high principal judge, and anointed in earth. The violence and injury, that is committed against authority, is committed against God, the common weal, and the whole realm, which God will have known, and condignly punished, one way or other. For it is notably written of the Wiseman in Scripture, in the book ⟨image 70⟩called Ecclesiastes:¹ wish the King no evil, in thy thought, or speak no hurt of him in thy privy chamber: for a bird of the air shall betray thy voice, and with her feathers, shall she bewray thy words. These lessons & examples are written for our learning.

And lette no man thynke, that he can escape vnpunished, that cōmitteth treason, conspiracy, or rebellion, agaynste his souereigne Lorde the Kynge, though he commit thesame neuer so secretly, either in thought, woorde, or dede: neuer so priuely, in hys priuie chambre, by hymselfe, or openly communicatyng, and consultyng with other: For treason will not be hid: treason will out at the length. God will haue that moste detestable vice, bothe opened and punished, for that it is so directly against hys ordinaunce, and agaynste hys hygh principall iudge, and anoynted in yearth. The violence and iniury, that is committed against aucthoritie, is cōmitted agaynste God, the common weale, and the whole realme, whiche God wyll haue knowen, and condignely punished, one way or other. For it is notably wrytten of the Wiseman in Scripture, in the boke ⟨image 70⟩called Ecclesiastes:¹ wishe the Kyng no euyll, in thy thought, or speake no hurt of hym in thy priuy chā bre: for a byrde of the aire shall betraye thy voyce, and with her fethers, shall she bewraye thy wordes. These lessons & exāples are writē for our learnyng.