It Is Good To Jest, But Not

As For Me, I See No Such Great Cause Why I Should Either Be Fond To Live Or Fear To Die. I Have Had Good Experience Of This World, And I Know What It Is To Be A Subject And What To Be A Sovereign. Good Neighbours I Have Had, And I Have Met With Bad: And In Trust I Have Found Treason.

We Princes Are Set As It Were Upon Stages, In The Sight And View Of All The World. The Least Spot Is Soon Spied In Our Garments, A Blemish Quickly Noticed In Our Doings.

Ye May Have A Greater Prince, But Ye Shall Never Have A More Loving Prince.

[to Edward De Vere, Earl Of Oxford, On His Return From Self-imposed Exile, Occasioned By The Embarrassing Flatulence He Had Experienced In The Presence Of The Queen:] My Lord, I Had Forgot The Fart.

When I Was Fair And Young, And Favor Graced Me, Of Many Was I Sought, Their Mistress For To Be; But I Did Scorn Them All, And Answered Them Therefore, "go, Go, Go Seek Some Otherwhere! Importune Me No More!