The Fifth Queen Crowned quotes
The lines readers remember from The Fifth Queen Crowned, by Ford Madox Ford.
25 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
The Church of God is come back again.
Show the passage
“
The Church of God is come back again.
” He touched his cap at the sacred name. “I ha’ made submission to the Pope.”
Why, you live in the sun where the dial face moves. I in the shadow where Time stays still.
Show the passage
“
Why, you live in the sun where the dial face moves. I in the shadow where Time stays still.
To me it is every day a new tale,” the Lady Mary answered.
Oh, God, what things we women are when a man rules us.
Show the passage
“The peace that shall come!” the Lady Mary laughed. “
Oh, God, what things we women are when a man rules us.
The peace that shall come? By what means shall it have been brought on?”
For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small ferment shall pollute a whole well.
Show the passage
either to put out both these twain from your courts and presence, or if that you cannot or will not do, so richly to reward them as that you shall win them to your service.
For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small ferment shall pollute a whole well.
And these twain, I am advised, assured, convinced, and have convicted them, will spread such a rotten fog and mist about your reputation and so turn even your good and gracious actions to evil seeming that—I swear and vow, O most high Sovereign, for whom …
It is thou or none shall witness this my humiliation and my pride.
Show the passage
“It is thou or none!” she said. “
It is thou or none shall witness this my humiliation and my pride.
Take me by the hand. My patience will not last forever.”
If you will have me confess to heresy, I will confess to heresy; if to treason, to treason.
Show the passage
“
If you will have me confess to heresy, I will confess to heresy; if to treason, to treason.
If you will have me confess to adultery, God help me and all of you, I will confess to adultery and all such sins.”
All quotes
Jump to a chapter
Chapter I
Cold porridge is thy portion! Cold porridge!
Show the passage
He paused and then struck his hand upon the table: “
Cold porridge is thy portion! Cold porridge!
” he laughed; “for they say: Cold porridge to the devil! And, since thou art neither God’s nor the King’s, what may I call thee but the devil’s self’s man?”
Chapter III
It takes a woman to teach kings,
Show the passage
“
It takes a woman to teach kings,
” she said.
The Church of God is come back again.
Show the passage
“
The Church of God is come back again.
” He touched his cap at the sacred name. “I ha’ made submission to the Pope.”
Chapter IV
Where your Grace is, there the spring abideth
Show the passage
“
Where your Grace is, there the spring abideth
,” Mary said sardonically. “Ecce miraculum sicut erat, Joshuâ rege.”
Why, you live in the sun where the dial face moves. I in the shadow where Time stays still.
Show the passage
“
Why, you live in the sun where the dial face moves. I in the shadow where Time stays still.
To me it is every day a new tale,” the Lady Mary answered.
Chapter V
In the day of Caesar it was simple to do well,
Show the passage
“
In the day of Caesar it was simple to do well,
” the Queen said.
I had rather be loved and deemed pitiful,
Show the passage
“
I had rather be loved and deemed pitiful,
” Katharine answered. “For I was once such a one—no more—than she or thou, or very little more. Before the people I bear myself proudly for my lord his high honour.
Chapter VII
Oh, God, what things we women are when a man rules us.
Show the passage
“The peace that shall come!” the Lady Mary laughed. “
Oh, God, what things we women are when a man rules us.
The peace that shall come? By what means shall it have been brought on?”
Chapter IV
God helps most willingly them that take counsel with themselves and prudence,
Show the passage
“
God helps most willingly them that take counsel with themselves and prudence,
” her stepdaughter answered; “and these are the words of the knight.” She held up the parchment and read out:
For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small ferment shall pollute a whole well.
Show the passage
either to put out both these twain from your courts and presence, or if that you cannot or will not do, so richly to reward them as that you shall win them to your service.
For a little rotten fruit will spread a great stink; a small ferment shall pollute a whole well.
And these twain, I am advised, assured, convinced, and have convicted them, will spread such a rotten fog and mist about your reputation and so turn even your good and gracious actions to evil seeming that—I swear and vow, O most high Sovereign, for whom …
We, that are royal and sit in high places, have our feet in such mire.
Show the passage
He stalks amongst them as, in the night, the dread and awful lion of Numidia. He shall be to you more a corslet of proof than all the virtue that your life may borrow from the precepts of Diana.
We, that are royal and sit in high places, have our feet in such mire.
”
It is thou or none shall witness this my humiliation and my pride.
Show the passage
“It is thou or none!” she said. “
It is thou or none shall witness this my humiliation and my pride.
Take me by the hand. My patience will not last forever.”
And, Queen, again I bid you beware of calling any day fortunate till its close.
Show the passage
“Pray you,” Mary said, “get you gone from my sight and hearing, for I endure ill the appearance and sound of joy.
And, Queen, again I bid you beware of calling any day fortunate till its close.
For, before midnight you may be ruined utterly. I have known more Queens than thou. Thou art the fifth I have known.”
I have known more Queens than thou. Thou art the fifth I have known.
Show the passage
“Pray you,” Mary said, “get you gone from my sight and hearing, for I endure ill the appearance and sound of joy. And, Queen, again I bid you beware of calling any day fortunate till its close. For, before midnight you may be ruined utterly.
I have known more Queens than thou. Thou art the fifth I have known.
”
Chapter V
I wooed thee in an apple orchard. Let us go back to Lincolnshire.
Show the passage
He muttered, “
I wooed thee in an apple orchard. Let us go back to Lincolnshire.
”
Honey, said she, and hunc, said he.
Show the passage
… The hogs grunted. … There is a song about it. … Let me go to buy thy gown. Aye, now, presently. I remember a great many things. As thus … there is a song of a lady loved a swine.
Honey, said she, and hunc, said he.
”
“Is it this to be a Queen?”
Show the passage
Then Katharine said within herself—
“Is it this to be a Queen?”
She set both her hands upon his neck and pressed down the whole weight of her frame, till the voice died in his throat. His body stirred beneath her knee, convulsively, so that it was as if she rode a horse.
He is but a drunkard in his cups, thou a palterer in sobriety.
Show the passage
“For,” she continued to Lady Rochford, “I do hold thee more guilty of his death than himself.
He is but a drunkard in his cups, thou a palterer in sobriety.
”
Chapter III
She is not a compass that pointeth, of miraculous power, true North.
Show the passage
“Why,” Lascelles said, “what man shall believe it was by chance and accident that she met her cousin on these moors?
She is not a compass that pointeth, of miraculous power, true North.
”
Shall I come between the lion and his food?
Show the passage
“Never! never!
Shall I come between the lion and his food?
”
Chapter II
I may well build courts for tennis play. Nothing else is left for me to do.
Show the passage
“I may well build tennis courts,” he said, and his voice had a ring of wild and malignant passion. “
I may well build courts for tennis play. Nothing else is left for me to do.
”
Fooled! Fooled! Fooled! You two and I.
Show the passage
“
Fooled! Fooled! Fooled! You two and I.
For who of your friends the French shall ever believe again word that you utter.
Chapter IV
I will be no Grace in this court of wolves and hogs.
Show the passage
“Call me not your Grace,” the Lady Mary said. “
I will be no Grace in this court of wolves and hogs.
”
I have a worse father, but you have not found him force me to work vileness.
Show the passage
“Cease, dog!
I have a worse father, but you have not found him force me to work vileness.
”
Chapter V
If you will have me confess to heresy, I will confess to heresy; if to treason, to treason.
Show the passage
“
If you will have me confess to heresy, I will confess to heresy; if to treason, to treason.
If you will have me confess to adultery, God help me and all of you, I will confess to adultery and all such sins.”
Read The Fifth Queen Crowned free
The whole book is free in Doomreader, as short posts you scroll like a feed, with your place kept. Or download the EPUB.