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