His demand
Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,
Bur from deceit, bred by necessity;
read more

His demand
Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,
Bur from deceit, bred by necessity;
For how can tyrants safely govern home
Unless abroad they purchase great alliance?

There is nothing more hostile to a city that a tyrant, under whom
in the first and chiefest place, read more

There is nothing more hostile to a city that a tyrant, under whom
in the first and chiefest place, there are not laws in common,
but one man, keeping the law himself to himself, has the sway,
and this is no longer equal.

Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them

Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them

Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom--for himself.

Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom--for himself.

The tyrant now
Trusts not to men: nightly within his chamber
The watch-dog guards his couch, the read more

The tyrant now
Trusts not to men: nightly within his chamber
The watch-dog guards his couch, the only friend
He now dare trust.

For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,
A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
One raised in read more

For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,
A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
One raised in blood and one in blood established;
One that made means to come by what he hath,
And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;
A base foul stone, made precious by the foil
Of England's chair, where he is falsely set;
One that hath ever been God's enemy.

But thou know'st this,
'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.

But thou know'st this,
'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.

You may talk of the tyranny of Nero and Tiberius; but the real tyranny is the tyranny of your next-door read more

You may talk of the tyranny of Nero and Tiberius; but the real tyranny is the tyranny of your next-door neighbour.

Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.

Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.