Gideon
Biblical leader of the Israelites who rejected not just the honor but the right to become king after winning a massive victory over enemies. Paine situates rejection as the ideal preceded the sin of succumbing to idolatry when more than a century later Samuel under similar circumstances accepted the honor and create the pestilential precedence of connecting monarchs with divine rights to succession outside its previous paganism.
William the Conqueror
Paine engages some rather colorful language to use William the Conqueror as ironic evidence against the divine right of succession, reminding the reader that not only was he of French descent, but that he is a usurper to the throne who took it against the will of the natives. Then the cherry: succession traced back to William is filled with more monarchs than not whose lineage is French, so that France should by divine right rule over the British.
King George III
Paine makes an interesting choice when it comes to addressing the then-reigning British monarch, King George III. A choice doubtlessly made in large part for the same reason he originally published the text anonymously: fear of being arrested for treason. The decision also proves to be aesthetically appropriate, however. By generalizing his negative references to a king, the effect is to strip the King of authority. The portrait of King George III painted in this oblique manner would assuredly be considered treasonous: oppressive, untrustworthy, insolent, ignorant and unfit to rule.
