Elizabeth I Quotes

“I may not be a lion,but I am lions cub and I have lion's heart”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“God forgive you, but I never can.”

— Elizabeth I

As for my own part I care not for death, for all men are mortal; and though I be a woman yet I have as good a courage answerable to my place as ever my father had. I am your anointed Queen. I will never be by violence constrained to do anything. I thank God I am indeed endowed 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.

— Elizabeth I

“Semper eadem, always the same ...”

— Elizabeth I

“There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith. All else is a dispute over trifles.”

— Elizabeth I

“I have the heart of a man, not a woman, and I am not afraid of anything.”

— Elizabeth I

“I would not have my sheep branded with any other mark than my own, or follow the whistle of a strange shepherd.”

— Elizabeth I

“I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king”

— Elizabeth I

“A clear and innocent conscience fears nothing”

— Elizabeth I

“Proud Prelate, you know what you were before I made you what you are. If you do not immediately comply with my request I will unfrock you by God!”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“Brass shines as fair to the ignorant as gold to the goldsmiths.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind.”

— Elizabeth I

“I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.”

— Elizabeth I

There is one thing higher than Royalty: and that is religion, which causes us to leave the world, and seek God.

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“I shall lend credit to nothing against my people which parents would not believe against their own children.”

— Elizabeth I

“Ye may have a greater prince, but ye shall never have a more loving prince.”

— Elizabeth I

“The word must is not to be used to princes.”

— Elizabeth I

“[When opposed by leaders of her Council:] I will make you shorter by the head!”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourself to armed multitudes for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people ... I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm.”

— Elizabeth I

“I would not open windows into men's souls.”

— Elizabeth I

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.

— Elizabeth I

“I have no desire to make windows into mens souls.”

— Elizabeth I

“Young heads take example of the ancient”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“Who seeketh two strings to one bow, they may shoot strong, but never straight ...”

— Elizabeth I

“Words are leaves, the substance consists of deeds, which are the true fruits of a good tree.”

— Elizabeth I

“They best pass over the world who trip over it quickly; for it is but a bog. If we stop, we sink.”

— Elizabeth I

“I will never be by violence constrained to do anything.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“Kings were wont to honour philosophers, but if I had such I would honour them as angels that should have such piety in them that they would not seek where they are the second to be the first, and where the third to be the second and so forth.”

— Elizabeth I

“Prosperity provideth, but adversity proveth friends.”

— Elizabeth I

“I have seen many a man turn his gold into smoke, but you are the first who has turned smoke into gold.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

“He that will forget God, will also forget his benefactors.”

— Elizabeth I

“There is a close tie of affection between sovereigns and their subjects; and as chaste wives should have no eyes but for their husbands, so faithful liegemen should keep their regards at home and not look after foreign crowns. For my part I like not for my sheep to wear a stranger's mark nor to dance after a foreigner's whistle.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I

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.

— Elizabeth I

“Affection! Affection is false.”

— Elizabeth I

“I would gladly chastise those who represent things as different from what they are. Those who steal property or make counterfeit money are punished, and those ought to be still more severely dealt with who steal away or falsify the good name of a prince.”

— Elizabeth I

“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.”

— Elizabeth I