Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

¹Saint Paul sayeth: all these things are written for our example, and to teach us the fear of God, and the obedience to his holy law. For if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare us, that be but grafts, if we commit like offence. If God destroyed many thousands of people, many cities, yea the whole world, for whoredom, let us not flatter our selves, and think we shall escape free, and without punishment. For he hath promised in his holy law, to send most grievous plagues upon them, that transgress his holy commandments. Thus have we heard, how God punisheth the sin of adultery: let us now hear certain laws, which the civil Magistrates devised, in divers countries, for the punishment thereof: that we may learn, how uncleanness hath ever been detested in all well ordered cities and common wealths,² and among all honest persons. The law among the Lepre•ans was this, that when any were taken in adultery, they were bound and carried three days through the city, and afterward, as long as they lived, were they despised, and with shame and confusion reputed, as persons desolate of all honesty. Among the Locreusyans, the adulterers had both their eyes thrust out. The Romans in times paste, punished whoredom, sometime by fire, sometime by sword. If a man among the Egyptians had been taken in adultery, the law was, that he should openly in the presence of all the people, be scourged naked with whips, unto the number of a thousand stripes. The woman ⟨image 80⟩that was taken with him, had her nose cut of, whereby she was known even after, to be an whore, and therefore to be abhorred of all men. Among the Arabians, they that were taken in adultery, had their heads stricken from their bodies. The Athenians punished whoredom by death in like manner. So likewise did the Barbarous Cartarians. Among the turks even at this day, they that be taken in adultery, both man & woman, are stoned straightways to death, without mercy. Thus see we, what godly acts were devised in times paste of the high powers, for the putting away of whoredom, & for the maintaining of holy matrimony, & pure conversation. And the authors of these acts, were no christians, but Heathen: Yet were they so inflamed with the love of honesty, and pureness of life, that for the maintenance & conservation of that, they made godly statutes.