The doubt of future foes exiles my present joy.
My mortal foe can no ways wish me a greater harm than England's hate; neither should death be less welcome unto me than such a mishap betide me.
Hang Irish harpers wherever found.
... [ellipsis in source] it is true that the world was made in six days, but it was by God, to whose power the infirmity of men isnot to be compared.
If our web be framed with rotten handles, when our loom is well nigh done, our work is new to begin. God send the weaver true prentices again, and let them be denizens.
I have no desire to make windows into men's souls.
It has been always held for a special principle in friendship that prosperity provideth but adversity proveth friends.
Young heads take example of the ancient
There is small disproportion betwixt a fool who useth not wit because he hath it not and him that useth it not when it should avail him.
There is nothing about which I am more anxious than my country, and for its sake I am willing to die ten deaths, if that be possible.
Mr. Doctor, that loose gown becomes you so well I wonder your notions should be so narrow.
It is good to jest, but not to make a trade of jesting.
The name of a successor is like the tolling of my own death-bell!
If I should say the sweetest speech with the eloquentest tongue that ever was in man, I were not able to express that restless care which I have ever bent to govern for the greatest wealth.
I pluck up the good lissome herbs of sentences by pruning, eat them by reading, digest them by musing, and lay them up at length in the high seat of memory.
Though I am not imperial, and though Elizabeth may not deserve it, the Queen of England will easily deserve to have an emperor's son to marry.
Who seeketh two strings to one bow, they may shoot strong, but never straight.
O Fortune, how thy restless, wavering state has fraught with cares my troubled wit!
[On being told Mary, Queen of Scots, was taller than she:] Then she is too high, for I myself am neither too high nor too low.
He that will forget God, will also forget his benefactors.
Be of good cheer, for you will never want, for the bullet was meant for me, though it hit you.
I regret the unhappiness of princes who are slaves to forms and fettered by caution.
Had I been crested, not cloven, my Lords, you had not treated me thus.
Though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory of my crown: That I have reigned with your loves.
A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food.
I thank God I am endued with such qualities that if I were turned out of the Realm in my petticoat I were able to live in any place in Christendom.
I would not open windows into men's souls.
For, what is a family without a steward, a ship without a pilot, a flock without a shepherd, a body without a head, the same, I think, is a kingdom without the health and safety of a good monarch.
I am already bound unto an husband, which is the kingdom of England.
Fear not, we are of the nature of the lion, and cannot descend to the destruction of mice and such small beasts.
I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.
Although my royal rank causes me to doubt whether my kingdom is not more sought after than myself, yet I understand that you havefound other graces in me.
[When opposed by leaders of her Council:] I will make you shorter by the head!
My seat has been the seat of kings, and I will have no rascal to succeed me.
I am more afraid of making a fault in my Latin than of the Kings of Spain, France, Scotland, the whole House of Guise, and all of their confederates.
Let the good service of well-deservers be never rewarded with loss. Let their thanks be such as may encourage more strivers for the like.
Princes have big ears which hear far and near.
Be always faithful to me, as I always desire to keep you in peace; and if there have been wiser kings, none has ever loved you more than I have.
Of myself I must say this, I never was any greedy, scraping grasper, nor a strait fast-holding prince, nor yet a master; my heart was never set on worldly goods, but only for my subjects' good.
A good face is the best letter of recommendation.
Affection! Affection is false.
They best pass over the world who trip over it quickly; for it is but a bog. If we stop, we sink.
Eyes of youth have sharp sight but commonly not so deep as those of elder age.
No foteball player be used or suffered within the City of London and the liberties thereof upon pain of imprisonment.
I will never be by violence constrained to do anything.
Answer on being asked her opinion of Christ's presence in the Sacrament. 'Twas God the word that spake it, He took the Bread and brake it; And what the word did make it That I believe, and take it.
[To Parliament, when it urged her to marry and settle the succession:] You attend to your own duties and I'll perform mine.
I don't keep a dog and bark myself.
I have never been able to be so allured by the prospect of advantages or so terrified by misfortunes, swayed by honours or fettered by affection, nay not even so smitten by the fear of death, as to enter upon marriage.
This is the Lord's doing. And it is marvelous in our eyes.
Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects.
There is nothing in the world I hold in greater horror than to see a body moving against its head: and I shall be very careful notto ally myself with such a monster.
The daughter of debate That still discord doth sow.
I cannot find it in me to fear a man who took ten years a learning of his alphabet.
I will have here but one mistress and no master.
Prosperity provideth, but adversity proveth friends.
Chastity is the ermine of woman's soul.
I have seen many a man turn his gold into smoke, but you are the first who has turned smoke into gold.
It is monstrous that the feet should direct the head.
There is an Italian proverb which saith, From my enemy let me defend myself; but from a pretensed friend Lord deliver me
The true sin against the Holy Ghost is ingratitude.
Grief never ends, but it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness nor a lack of faith: it is the price of love.
Words are leaves, the substance consists of deeds, which are the true fruits of a good tree.
When we hang on to resentments, we poison ourselves. As compulsive overeaters, we cannot afford resentment, since it exacerbates our disease.
I have already joined myself in marriage to a husband, namely the kingdom of England.
Where might is mixed with wit, there is too good an accord in a government.
I shall lend credit to nothing against my people which parents would not believe against their own children.
Must! Is must a word to be addressed to princes? Little man, little man! Thy father, if he had been alive, durst not have used that word.
The word must is not to be used to princes.
The end crowneth the work.
Where minds differ and opinions swerve there is scant a friend in that company.
A fool too late bewares when all the peril is past.
I pray to God that I shall not live one hour after I have thought of using deception.
I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a people.
The past cannot be cured.
Ye may have a greater prince, but ye shall never have a more loving prince.
Monarchs ought to put to death the authors and instigators of war, as their sworn enemies and as dangers to their states.
The stone often recoils on the head of the thrower.
One man with a head on his shoulders is worth a dozen without.
God has given such brave soldiers to this Crown that, if they do not frighten our neighbours, at least they prevent us from being frightened by them.
I do not choose that my grave should be dug while I am still alive.
Brass shines as fair to the ignorant as gold to the goldsmiths.
He who placed me in this seat will keep me here.
I would rather go to any extreme than suffer anything that is unworthy of my reputation, or of that of my crown.
Those who appear the most sanctified are the worst.
I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say I ever meant, I seem stark mute but inwardly do prate. I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned, Since from myself another self I turned. My care is like my shadow in the sun, Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it, Stands and lies by me, doth what I have done.
I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.
I do not want a husband who honours me as a queen, if he does not love me as a woman.
There is one thing higher than Royalty: and that is religion, which causes us to leave the world, and seek God.
A clear and innocent conscience fears nothing.
I will be as good unto ye as ever a Queen was unto her people. No will in me can lack, neither do I trust shall there lack any power. And persuade yourselves that for the safety and quietness of you all I will not spare if need be to spend my blood.
If there were two princes in Christendom who had good will and courage, it would be very easy to reconcile the religious difficulties; there is only one Jesus Christ and one faith, and all the rest is a dispute over trifles.
I am no lover of pompous title, but only desire that my name may be recorded in a line or two, which shall briefly express my name, my virginity, the years of my reign, the reformation of religion under it, and my preservation of peace.
