Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

and to show how greatly he abhorred adultery, whoredom, fornication, and all uncleanness, he made all the fountains of the deep earth, to burst out, and the ••uces of heaven to be opened, so that the rain came down upon the earth, by the space of forty days, and forty nights, and by this means, destroyed the whole world, and all mankind, eight persons only excepted, that is to say, Noah, the preacher of righteousness (as Saint Peter calleth him) and his wife, his three sons, and their wives. O what a grievous plague, did God cast here upon all living creatures, for the sin of whoredom? For the which, God toke vengeance, not only of man, but also of beasts, fowls, and all living creatures. Manslaughter was committed before,¹ yet was not ⟨image 79⟩the world destroyed for that, but for whoredom, all the world (few only except) was overflowed with waters, and so perished: An example worthy to be remembered, that ye may learn to fear GOD.

and to shewe how greatly he abhorred adultery, whoredome, fornicacion, and all vnclennes, he made all the fountaynes of the depe yearth, to burste out, and the ••uces of heauen to be opened, so that the rayne came downe vpon the yearth, by the space of forty dayes, and forty nyghtes, and by thys meanes, destroyed the whole world, and all mankynde, eighte persons onely excepted, that is to saye, Noe, the preacher of righteousnes (as Sainct Peter calleth hym) and his wyfe, his three sonnes, and their wyfes. O what a greuous plague, dyd God cast here vpon all lyuyng creatures, for the synne of whordome? For the which, God toke vengeaunce, not onely of man, but also of beastes, foules, and all lyuynge creatures. Manslaughter was committed before,¹ yet was not ⟨image 79⟩the worlde destroyed for that, but for whoredome, all the worlde (fewe onely excepte) was ouerflowed with waters, and so peryshed: An example worthye to be remembred, that ye maye learne to feare GOD.

1. 1