Elizabeth I
I do not want a husband who honors me as a queen if he does not love me as a woman.Collection: Love
Chastity is the ermine of woman's soul.Collection: Soul
Who seeketh two strings to one bow, they may shoot strong, but never straight.Collection: Strong
I will have here but one mistress and no master.Collection: Mistress
There will never Queen sit in my seat with more zeal to my country, care to my subjects and that will sooner with willingness venture her life for your good and safety than myself. For it is my desire to live nor reign no longer than my life and reign shall be for your good. And though you have had, and may have, many princes more mighty and wise sitting in this seat, yet you never had nor shall have, any that will be more careful and loving.Collection: Wise
When we hang on to resentments, we poison ourselves. As compulsive overeaters, we cannot afford resentment, since it exacerbates our disease.Collection: Drinking
I will never be by violence constrained to do anything.Collection: Violence
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.Collection: Leadership
They best pass over the world who trip over it quickly; for it is but a bog. If we stop, we sink.Collection: World
I would not open windows into men's souls.Collection: Men
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.Collection: Loss
I am already bound unto an husband, which is the kingdom of England.Collection: Husband
Princes have big ears which hear far and near.Collection: Loss
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.Collection: Heart
The daughter of debate That still discord doth sow.Collection: Daughter
The use of sea and air is common to all; neither can a title to the ocean belong to any people or private persons, forasmuch as neither nature nor public use and custom permit any possession therof.Collection: Nature
[On Thomas Seymour's death:] This day died a man of much wit and very little judgment.Collection: Men
It has been always held for a special principle in friendship that prosperity provideth but adversity proveth friends.Collection: Friends
And therefore I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood, even the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too.Collection: Leadership
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.Collection: Able
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.Collection: Thank God
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.Collection: Wisdom
I plucke up the goodlie greene herbes of sentences by pruning, eat them by reading, chawe them by musing, and laie them up at length in the hie seate of memorie by gathering them together; that I, having tasted the sweetenes, l may the lesse perceave the bitternes of this miserable life.Collection: Reading
No foteball player be used or suffered within the City of London and the liberties thereof upon pain of imprisonment.Collection: Pain
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.Collection: Peace
Though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory of my crown: That I have reigned with your loves.Collection: Love
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.Collection: Marriage
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.Collection: Believe
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.Collection: Memories
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. Therefore I have cause to wish nothing more than to content the subject and that is a duty which I owe. Neither do I desire to live longer days than I may see your prosperity and that is my only desire.Collection: Queens
If I follow the inclination of my nature, it is this: beggar-woman and single, far rather than queen and married.Collection: Queens
[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.Collection: Queens
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.Collection: Queens
The name of a successor is like the tolling of my own death-bell!Collection: Death
Had I been crested, not cloven, my Lords, you had not treated me thus.Collection: Discrimination
Have a care over my people. You have my people--do you that which I ought to do. They are my people.... See unto them--see unto them, for they are my charge.... I care not for myself; my life is not dear to me. My care is for my people. I pray God, whoever succeedeth me, be as careful of them as I am.Collection: People
[I]n the end this shall be for me sufficient, that a marble stone shall declare that a Queen, having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin.Collection: Queens
Mr. Doctor, that loose gown becomes you so well I wonder your notions should be so narrow.Collection: Thoughtful
Young heads take example of the ancientCollection: Example
I regret the unhappiness of princes who are slaves to forms and fettered by caution.Collection: Regret
O Fortune, how thy restless, wavering state has fraught with cares my troubled wit!Collection: Care
The sea, as well as the air, is a free and common thing to all; and a particular nation cannot pretend to have the right to the exclusion of all others, without violating the rights of nature and public usage.Collection: Freedom
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.Collection: Men
... [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.Collection: Time
A good face is the best letter of recommendation.Collection: Letters
The doubt of future foes exiles my present joy.Collection: Joy
I have seen many a man turn his gold into smoke, but you are the first who has turned smoke into gold.Collection: Men
He that will forget God, will also forget his benefactors.Collection: Forget