16th-century Royalty Quotes

Elizabeth I of England

Henry VIII of England

Mary, Queen of Scots

James I

Philip II of Spain

Edward VI of England

Catherine de' Medici

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.

Elizabeth I of England

I see and hear daily that you of the Clergy preach one against another, teach one contrary to another, inveigh one against another without charity or discretion. Some be too stiff in their old mumpsimus, others be too busy and curious in their new sumpsimus. Thus all men almost be in variety and discord.

Henry VIII of England

O Lord my God, I have trusted in thee;
O Jesu my dearest one, now set me free.
In prison's oppression, in sorrow's obsession,
I weary for thee.
With sighing and crying bowed down as dying,
I adore thee, I implore thee, set me free!

Mary, Queen of Scots

God gives not kings the stile of Gods in vaine,
For on his throne his sceptre do they sway;
And as their subjects ought them to obey,
So kings should feare and serve their God againe.

A false report, if believed during three days, may be of great service to a government.

Catherine de' Medici

If God grant me life, I will see that every laboring man in my kingdom shall have his chicken to put in the pot.

Henry IV of France

Horses and poets should be fed, not overfed.

Charles IX of France

I will say with certain intention, that I will see my laws strictly obeyed, and those who break them shall be watched and denounced.

Edward VI of England

Indeed Suleiman the Magnificent, deserves to be called the only Padshah on Earth.

On the birth of his daughter:

Farewell [to the crown of Scotland]: It came with a lass, and it will pass with a lass.

James V of Scotland

The faith of the church must be tried by God's word, and not God's word by the church; neither yet my faith.

I would rather lose all my lands and a hundred lives than be king over heretics.

Philip II of Spain