Quotes by Elizabeth Elizabeth I

• All my possessions for a moment of time.
• I do not want a husband who honours me as a queen, if he does not love me as a woman.
• 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.
• I do not choose that my grave should be dug while I am still alive.
• He who placed me in this seat will keep me here.
• 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.
• God forgive you, but I never can.
• Fear not, we are of the nature of the lion, and cannot descend to the destruction of mice and such small beasts.
• Brass shines as fair to the ignorant as gold to the goldsmiths.
• A fool too late bewares when all the peril is past.
• Those who appear the most sanctified are the worst.
• 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.
• A strength to harm is perilous in the hand of an ambitious head.
• Do not tell secrets to those whose faith and silence you have not already tested.
• One man with a head on his shoulders is worth a dozen without.
• 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.
• Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind.
• To be a king and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it.
• Where might is mixed with wit, there is too good an accord in a government.
• Where minds differ and opinions swerve there is scant a friend in that company.
• Ye may have a greater prince, but ye shall never have a more loving prince.
• There is one thing higher than Royalty: and that is religion, which causes us to leave the world, and seek God.
• 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.
• The word must is not to be used to princes.
• The stone often recoils on the head of the thrower.
• I find that I sent wolves not shepherds to govern Ireland, for they have left me nothing but ashes and carcasses to reign over!
• The end crowneth the work.
• I have the heart of a man, not a woman, and I am not afraid of anything.
• 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.
• It is a natural virtue incident to our sex to be pitiful of those that are afflicted.
• If we still advise we shall never do.
• If thy heart fails thee, climb not at all.
• I would rather go to any extreme than suffer anything that is unworthy of my reputation, or of that of my crown.
• I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.
• I shall lend credit to nothing against my people which parents would not believe against their own children.
• I pray to God that I shall not live one hour after I have thought of using deception.
• A clear and innocent conscience fears nothing.
• The past cannot be cured.