O Richard! O my king!
The universe forsakes thee!

O Richard! O my king!
The universe forsakes thee!

Hail to the crown by Freedom shaped--to gird
An English sovereign's brow! and to the throne
Whereon read more

Hail to the crown by Freedom shaped--to gird
An English sovereign's brow! and to the throne
Whereon he sits! whose deep foundations lie
In veneration and the people's love.

He who knows how to dissimulate knows how to reign.
[Fr., Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare.]

He who knows how to dissimulate knows how to reign.
[Fr., Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare.]

God bless the King--I mean the faith's defender;
God bless (no harm in blessing) the pretender;
But read more

God bless the King--I mean the faith's defender;
God bless (no harm in blessing) the pretender;
But who the pretender is, or who is King--
God bless us all--that's quite another thing.

A crown! what is it?
It is to bear the miseries of a people!
To bear the read more

A crown! what is it?
It is to bear the miseries of a people!
To bear the miseries of a people!
And sink beneath a load of splendid care!

There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
read more

There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
A golden goblet gave.
[Ger., Es war ein Konig in Tule
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
Einen gold'nen Becher gab.]

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

Every monarch is subject to a mightier one.
[Lat., Omnes sub regno graviore regnum est.]

Every monarch is subject to a mightier one.
[Lat., Omnes sub regno graviore regnum est.]

O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
There is betwixt that smile read more

O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.