Every tribulation which ever comes our way either is sent to be medicinal, if we will take it as such, or may become medicinal, if we will make it such, or is better than medicinal, unless we forsake it.

On his mounting the scaffold to be beheaded: 'I pray you, Master Lieutenant, see me safely up, and for my coming down, let me shift for myself.' To the executioner: 'Pick up thy spirits, Man, and be not afraid to do thyne office; my neck is very short; take heed, therefore thou strike not awry, for saving of thyne honesty.'

. . . the state of things and the dispositions of men were then such, that a man could not well tell whom he might trust or whom he might fear.

The most part of all princes have more delight in warlike manners and feats of chivalry than in the good feats of peace.

For when they see the people swarm into the streets, and daily wet to the skin with rain, and yet cannot persuade them to go out of the rain, they do keep themselves within their houses, seeing they cannot remedy the folly of the people.

Getting married is like putting one's hand in a bag containing 99 serpents and one eel.

It's a poor doctor who can't cure one disease without giving you another.