An Old Lion

014. An Old Lion. A Lion that in the Days of his Youth and Strength, had been very Outragious and Cruel, came in the end to be Reduced by Old Age, and Infirmity, to the last Degree of Misery, and Contempt: Insomuch that All the Beasts of the Forrest; some out of Insolence, others in Revenge, some in fine, upon One Pretence, some Upon Another, fell upon him by Consent. He was a Miserable Creature to all Intents and Purposes; but Nothing went so near to the Heart of him in his Distress, as to find himself Batter'd by the Heel of an Asse.
Moral. A prince that does not secure Friends to Himself while he is in Power and Condition to oblige them, must never expect to find Friends, when he is Old and Impotent, and no longer Able to do them any Good. If he Governs Tyrannically in his Youth, he will be sure to be Treated Contemptuously in his Age; and the Baser his Enemies are, the more Insolent, and Intollerable will be the Affront.

[more info; you can read L'Estrange's Reflexion at the online book.]

And here is an illustration by Francis Barlow: